

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS. 

Chap.EZ.5Copjriglit No. 

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 


* 









THE DARK FIGURE UNDER THE TREE. (Page 56.) 


THE YOUNG 

CAPITALIST 


BY 

f ^ ' 

LINNIE Sf-HARRIS 

AUTHOR OF “bertha’s SUMMER BOARDERS” 



BOSTON 

tTbe pilgrim press 

BEACON STREET 



TZ3 

Y 


Copyright, 1897, 

By J. H. Tewksbury, 


DEDICATED TO MY 

/nbotber 

WHOSE AFFECTIONATE AND SYMPATHETIC 
INTEREST HAS SPURRED ME TO 
RENEWED EFFORTS 
WHEN ENCOURAGEMENT WAS NEEDED 
THIS LITTLE WORK 


IS AFFECTIONATELY DEDICATED 





CONTENTS 


CHAPTER page 

I. Mother Jackson’s Girls 7 

II. Exeter Academy 22 

III. The Recitation Room Seats 32 

IV. The Election 47 

V. Nelly’s Temptations 57 

VI. What Maud did 73 

VII. The Gathering of the Clan 92 

VIII. The Thanksgiving Party 109 

IX. Besetting Sins 125 

X. George’s East Scrape 140 

XI. Sudden Changes 158 

XII. Mr. Winterbourn’s Boarder 176 

XIII. Nelly’s Dream Realized 188 

XIV. An Exeter Reunion 205 

XV. Nelly’s Sick Scholar 221 

XVI. The Ten Talents 237 

XVII. Miss Winterbourn’s Attempt at Missionary 

Work 254 

XVIII. Nelly’s Effort on the Social Committee 269 

XIX. Miss Augusta’s Rival 280 

XX. George Causes a Strike 291 

XXI. A Ransom for Many 306 

XXII. An Anxious Day 320 

XXIII. Nelly’s Discovery 334 

XXIV. George gets his Reward 349 








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THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


CHAPTER I 

MOTHER JACKSON’S GIRLS 

' I "^HE sun shone warm and bright, late one 
^ afternoon, into the south room of the old 
Jackson house, where a group of girls were gath- 
ered, all talking at once like a flock of chattering 
blackbirds. 

In the room beyond, busy with her week’s 
mending, sat Mrs. Jackson, listening to them, now 
with a smile, now with a sigh, and often with a 
troubled look on her face ; for, though she only 
kept a boarding-house for academy scholars, 
“ Mother Jackson,” as they all called her, felt that 
she was in a measure responsible for the young 
souls under her care. Her own daughter, Nelly, 
was the centre of the group, and her tongue was 
heard the oftenest. She was curled up in the 
7 


8 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


corner of the sofa surrounded by bits of ribbon, 
velvet and feathers, for she was trimming her 
winter hat. 

Maud Farnsworth had come in on her way 
from school, and Violet Arlington had brought 
down-stairs to show to the girls her new hat, gay 
with plumes and velvet, which had just been sent 
to her from home. 

“ How lovely ! ” exclaimed Maud. That bird 
of paradise is awfully fashionable, and the fur 
round the edge is so becoming ! Do try it on ! ” 

“ Oh, you put it on your head, Maud,” replied 
Violet. “ Nothing shows off well on me, but you 
will look like an angel in it.” 

Angels do n’t wear hats with cockades like 
that on them,” laughed Nelly. “ Can’t you think 
of a better comparison than that, Violet ? ” 

“ I do n’t care,” declared Violet ; Miss Emer- 
son said Maud had perfectly angelic hair.’' 

“Yes,” replied Nelly, “but the hat is n’t an- 
gelic a bit.” 

Maud paid no attention to the discussion, but 
rose to survey herself in the old-fashioned mirror 
which hung between the front windows. She 
was a very pretty girl ; the angelic hair, which 
was the palest of pale gold, curled around her 


MOTHER JACKSON^S GIRLS 


9 


white forehead in bewitching little rings ; her 
eyes were gray, fringed with black, and had a 
most touching, innocent expression ; her com- 
plexion was a perfect pink and white, and as she 
perched the hat upon her head, the girls ex- 
claimed in chorus : 

“ O Maud, it is awfully becoming! ” 

“ It is like painting the lily to adorn you, 
Maud,” said Nelly. You look best as you were 
the other night in the tableau of the ‘ Guardian 
Angel,’ dressed in a loose white robe with your 
hair falling over your shoulders.” 

But that would hardly do for a street suit,” 
laughed Maud, handing the hat back to its right- 
ful owner, then added as Violet went up-stairs to 
put it away : “ That hat is overloaded with trim- 
ming, is n't it ?” 

That just suits Vi,” said Nelly, trying to make 
a bow stand erect. “You know how she dresses. 
The other morning when it was raining just as 
hard as it could pour she would wear her new 
furs to school.” 

“ They must be very rich,” observed Mary 
Sherman, who was sitting in the rocking-chair by 
the window. 

“ But it is very poor taste to put all your 


lO 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


money on your head so that folks can see it/’ 
declared Nelly; '‘but Violet wants everything on 
the outside.'’ 

“ Hush! ” said Maud, in a warning tone, 
“ here she comes.” 

Some girls would have suspected that they had 
been talked about behind their backs, by the 
sudden silence marking their entering the room, 
but Violet Arlington was not at all sensitive and 
suspected nothing as she took her old seat by the 
table, which was littered with books and papers. 

“ What are you doing, Nelly ? ” asked Mary, 
to break an awkward pause. 

“ I am making my winter hat,” she replied. 
“ Several years ago I bought a frame, price thir- 
ty-five cents ; in the winter I cover it with velvet, 
and in the summer with lace ; thus I have a new 
hat every season.” 

The girls all laughed, but Mrs. Jackson looked 
pained. 

Nelly scorned a lie, and would never deliber- 
ately have told one, but unconsciously she had 
fallen into the habit of stretching the truth a 
little to make the girls laugh. She had ripped 
her old hat to pieces and was covering it with 
fresh velvet to wear to school, but her mother 


MOTHER JACKSON'S GIRLS 


11 


had given her money that very day to get a new felt 
hat from the milliner’s. Alas, how girls’ tongues 
fly ! If Nelly Jackson had really been obliged 
to cover the same frame with velvet in the 
winter and lace in the summer she never would 
have owned it before those girls, and her mother 
knew it. 

‘‘ I do n’t see how you can trim a hat, Nelly,” 
said Effie Lamb in her quiet little voice. 

“ It is one of my talents,” Nelly replied, “ I 
have ‘a knack at contriving,’ as old Mrs. Jones 
says.” 

You have enough there for half a dozen hats,” 
said Maud. Which color are you going to have 
it, red or brown ? ” 

“ I am going to have it red, trimmed with 
brown,” said Nelly briskly. “ This bonnet box 
of mother’s never fails. Whenever I want any- 
thing in the millinery line I have only to turn it 
upside down and I am sure to find something to 
fit my needs.” 

“ Where did you get so much stuff ? ” asked 
Maud. 

‘‘ Oh, mother thinks that the eleventh com- 
mandment is: ‘Never destroy anything.’ She 
never threw anything away in her life. She has 


12 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


been saving the stuff in this bandbox ever since 
Noah and his family moved out of the ark. That 
piece of ribbon came off of my great grand- 
mother’s wedding-bonnet.” 

‘‘Is n’t it old-fashioned !” exclaimed Violet. 
“Why does Mother Jackson keep everything like 
that ? ” 

“ She thought it might come round in style 
again sometime,” replied Nelly composedly. 

“ Do you suppose they will ever wear anything 
like that again ? ” asked Violet, holding up the 
piece of old-fashioned ribbon. 

“ Oh, yes,” said Nelly promptly, “ it may spring 
into style any minute. I dare say I shall be wear- 
ing it myself ten years from now.” 

“ On the same frame, I suppose,” said Maud, 
buttoning up her jacket. 

“By that time I may be able to afford a new 
hat,” said Nelly gayly. 

Maud bade them good-bye, and Violet accom- 
panied her to the door, from which in a few min- 
utes she came flying back in great glee. 

“ Guess what started her off so soon.” she ex- 
claimed, 

“ I know,” said Mary calmly, “ George is com- 
ing up street. I have been watching him all 


MOTHER JACKSON'S GIRLS 


13 


the way along. I knew the minute she caught 
sight of him she would start.” 

“ She has got on her new feather boa,” said 
Violet from her post at the window. “ It is 
awfully becoming and she knows it. See how 
she sails along.” 

Dear me,” exclaimed Nelly, “ ‘ what fools 
these mortals be ! ’ I shall have to get up and 
see the sight.” 

She gathered up her bits of millinery in her 
apron and joined the group by the window. The 
sun, sinking to rest in the southwest, shone on 
the little gold pin she wore, formed of the letters 
C. E., and caused it to sparkle as she looked 
out over Violet’s shoulder, but none of them 
noticed it. 

‘‘ I wrote and told mamma all about George’s 
actions last Sunday,” said Violet gleefully. 
“ Would n’t he squirm if he could see the 
letter?” 

“ Boys of George’s age always do lots of 
foolish things,” said Mary, who had reached the 
advanced age of twenty, while the boy in ques- 
tion was only eighteen. 

Mary,” said Effie Lamb, “ you said you would 
help us with our geometry.” 


14 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


All right, I will,” said Mary good-naturedly. 
“ But let us go up-stairs; we can’t study here with 
Nell and Vi chattering.” 

“ ‘ A girl who bore with grief and pain, 

A volume with the dreadful name — 

Geometry ! ’ ” 

quoted Nelly, as Mary and the two Lamb girls 
went up-stairs. 

“ I do n’t like Mary Sherman a bit,” said 
Violet, “she is so sarcastic.” 

“ Mr. Alden says sarcasm is a dangerous weapon 
to play with,” said Nelly gravely, regarding her 
hat with her head on one side. “ If used judi- 
ciously it is cool and cutting, but it is apt to 
make people afraid of you, and that is why sar- 
castic people have so few friends.” 

“ Dear me, Nell,” said Violet, swinging back 
and forth in the rocking-chair, “ did you take that 
down from Mr. Alden’s morning lecture? ” 

“ I remembered it, for I did not know but there 
might be danger of my becoming sarcastic. You 
know, Vi,” said she impressively, “ the tongue 
is the most unruly member of the body.” 

“I suppose it is,” Violet replied, “but I never 
try to curb mine, I usually let it wag.” 

“ Then you may become as bad as Mary in 


MOTHER JACKSON GIRLS 


15 

time,” said Nelly, with a warning shake of the 
head over the bows on her hat. 

“ I had rather be as bad as Mary than as meek 
and quiet as the little Lambs,” Violet retorted. 

“They are too good,” said Nelly wisely. 
“You know one needs a spice of wickedness to 
be interesting.” 

“ Then I need never worry about not being 
interesting,” laughed Violet. 

“ Nor I,” said Nelly, but she was more con- 
cerned about one of her bows that would not 
stand up properly than she was about her “ inter- 
esting wickedness.” 

“ Nelly,” called her mother, “ I want you to 
come and set the table.” 

Nelly frowned. She did not want to leave her 
millinery, but she loved her mother too well to 
refuse, so, bundling her work into the bandbox, 
she went out into the dining-room. 

“ Poor Nell ! ” thought Violet, picking up a 
story book, “ she either has to set the table, peel 
the potatoes, or wash the dishes the minute 
she is out of school ; I should think she would 
die.” 

With five boarders there was always enough to 
do at the Jacksons’. Mrs. Jackson was not strong. 


1 6 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

and Nelly often called herself a brute, a wretch, 
and other bad names for grumbling because she 
had to work. Her most ambitious dream was to 
be able to support her mother so that she would, 
not have to take boarders. 

Some day, mamma,” she would often say, “ I 
will be a schoolma’am ; then you and I will have 
a cozy little home of just three rooms, and you 
won’t have a thing to do but make our tea over 
an oil-stove.” 

Mrs. Jackson smiled at this vision of the 
future. It did not seem possible that her little 
daughter would ever be old enough to teach, 
though she was rapidly shooting up into a tall, 
slim girl, and would be seventeen her next birth- 
day. 

Mrs. Jackson possessed a treasure in her one 
servant. Mrs. Gibbs was what George Arlington 
termed a “ vegetable widow.” She had married 
a man who caused her to hate the whole race, 
and if Mrs. Jackson had not been a widow she 
would not have served her so faithfully. George, 
the only male representative beneath the roof, 
declared that he had to take it, but that was 
principally because he delighted in stirring up 
Mrs. Gibbs’ wrath. And yet, though she never 


MOTHER JACKSON^S GIRLS 


17 


spoke of him in any other terms than, ‘‘That 
young scamp of an Arlington,” there was a soft 
spot in Mrs. Gibbs’ heart for the boy, as was 
proved by the lemon pies which she made for his 
consumption. 

Mrs. Gibbs had one disagreeable trait ; she 
loved to sing, and often exercised her vocal 
organs to such an extent that Mrs. Jackson was 
obliged to leave the kitchen and cover both 
ears with her hands. She was a member of the 
Salvation Army, and when Nelly went out to set 
the table she was making dipped toast and caus- 
ing the kitchen walls to echo to the refrain of 
one of their favorite hymns. 

Nelly found enough to do, and it was nearly 
half-past seven when, with hat and jacket on, and 
her Bible under her arm, she ran into her mother’s 
room. 

Mother Jackson’s room was a haven of refuge 
for all the young people in the house. Head- 
aches were nursed on the old sofa between the 
windows, homesickness was always cured there, 
and when George had what he called “ the 
glooms,” or had gotten his hand split open by a 
baseball, he always went there for aid and com- 
fort. Nelly called it a corner gf the kingdom 
3 


i8 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

of heaven, and always went there for her mother’s 
blessing before starting on any important enter- 
prise. 

“ It is consecration meeting to-night, mamma,” 
said she, running in, “ please give me my verse 
quick, for the girls are waiting.” 

Mrs. Jackson looked up into the bright face. 
Daughters are always pretty in their mother’s 
eyes, but Mrs. Jackson was not thinking of Nelly’s 
rose-leaf cheeks and sparkling eyes, she was pray- 
ing that she might be able to help this young 
soul committed to her care. 

‘‘ My verse is a short one to-night,” said she, 
but I hope you will think it over well Keep 
the door of my lips.’ ” 

mamma!” said Nelly anxiously, “ have I 
been saying anything very bad ?” 

“ Do you think it is doing as you would be 
done by, talking over the girls’ failings when they 
leave the room ? ” 

“ O mamma ! ” said Nelly eagerly, I did n’t 
say half as much as the others did, Maud and 
Violet ” 

“ It is not Maud and Violet you will have to 
answer for,” interrupted her mother, but Nelly 
Jackson. And one thing more; won’t the girls 


MOTHER JACKSON^S GIRLS 19 

be surprised when they see your new hat after 
what you told them this afternoon ? ” 

They knew I was joking,” said Nelly quickly. 
“ Are you sure ? ” 

“ Dear me ! ” sighed Nelly, “ must I label my 
statements, ‘ This is a fact,’ and ^This is a joke,’ as 
the old lady marked her pies * T. M. ’t is mince,’ 
and ‘ T. M. ’t ain’t mince ’ ? ” 

Mrs. Jackson could not help smiling, but added 

/ 

gravely : 

“ We must watch and pray over these tongues 
of ours, for remember they are given us to glorify 
God with. Take your verse for a guide, and now 
good-night. I hope you will have a good meet- 
ing.” 

Nelly did not rush downstairs, clearing the last 
two steps with a jump, but walked slowly, and 
was very sober when she joined the girls. 

“ What made you stay so long?” said Violet. 
“We shall be late, sure as the world.” 

“ Who is going to lead ? ” asked Mary, as they 
went down street arm in arm. 

“Joe Allen,” Effie Lamb replied. 

“ Oh dear ! ’’exclaimed Violet, “ I have a good 
mind not to go. Why do they ask him to lead ? 
He is so bashful he makes a horrid mess of it.” 


20 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ He has to take his turn,” Jessie Lamb ex- 
plained. 

“ Such bashful boys ought not to have their 
turn,” Violet declared. 

“ I always feel as though I must help him out,” 
said Mary. “ I do n’t know but when he is blun- 
dering along I shall get up and take charge of the 
meeting myself. What do you suppose he would 
do in that case, girls?” 

“Just sit and look at you,” laughed Violet. 
“ It would n’t occur to him to take a back 
seat.” 

“Poor Joe!” sighed Mary. “ I do n’t know 
how he is going to get through this world, unless 
he manages to scare up some spirit from some un- 
known source.” 

“ Then his hands are so red,’’ continued Violet, 
“ and his coat-sleeves so short. Did you ever see 
them the right length, Nell ? Why do n’t you say 
something? Girls, what is going to happen? 
Nell, has n’t spoken for as much as a minute ! ” 

Nelly had been biting her lips to keep back 
the words which but for that little talk with her 
mother she would thoughtlessly have spoken. 
She flushed with shame as she thought of some 
of the things she had said about her fellow En- 


MOTHER JACKSON^ S GIRLS 


21 


deavorers, simply because they sounded funny and 
made the girls laugh. 

“Do speak, Nelly,” implored Violet, “ and re- 
lieve our feelings. What do you think of Joe 
Allen ? ” 

“ Joe can ’t help it if his coat-sleeves are short,” 
said Nelly slowly, “and I do n’t think we ought 
to make fun of a boy because he is poor and 
bashful.” 

It cost Nelly an effort to make this speech, 
and appear to reprove the girls. 

“We must follow Nelly’s example,” said Mary 
sarcastically, “ she never makes fun of any one.” 

“Yes, I do,” said Nelly quickly; “ I say horrid 
things, I know, but it is not right just the same.” 

“ We ’ll let poor Joe alone,” said Violet. “We 
will be late unless we walk faster.” 

Nelly was glad that a few steps brought them 
to the vestry, and that there was no opportunity 
to say more on the subject. 


CHAPTER II 

EXETER ACADEMY 

f T'XETER was a sleepy old town, with noth- 
ing to boast of but its academy, which 
stood on a hill overlooking the river. As educa- 
tion advanced, the free high schools somewhat 
diminished the number of students, but young 
men wishing to fit for college still availed them- 
selves of the advantages it offered, and at the 
time our story opens, the school, under the 
charge of excellent teachers, was well regulated 
and prosperous. 

When Nelly Jackson was a wee girl, her father, 
captain of a large vessel, had sailed away and 
had never been heard of since. As she grew older 
Nelly understood why her mother’s hair was 
snow-white and her eyes had such a far-away 
look in them at times. When, at last, Mrs. Jack- 
son forced herself to believe that her hus- 
band would never come back, she had opened 
22 


EXETER ACADEMY 


23 


her house to academy boarders and filled the 
long silent rooms with wide-awake boys and 
girls. 

The five beneath the old Jackson roof at the 
present time were entering on the second year of 
their course. 

George and Violet Arlington were the son and 
daughter of the wealthy owner of some granite 
works in a distant part of the county; George 
was fitting for college, and Violet had been so 
lonesome when he left home she had begged for 
permission to accompany him. Mrs. Arlington, 
who had been a gay society girl, spent a month 
or two every winter in New York, leaving her 
children to the care of a housekeeper, so it was 
no wonder that they preferred Exeter and Mrs. 
Jackson’s pleasant boarding-house to their own 
home. 

Mrs. Jackson privately thought it was a good 
thing for the young people to be sent away from 
their own home, where they were indulged and 
spoiled until only selfishness and wilfulness could 
be the result. But they caused her more care 
and anxiety than all her other boarders, es- 
pecially George, who was one of those wide- 
awake, fun-loving boys who take life as a sort 


24 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


of joke from which they must extract all the 
sport they can. 

Mr. Alden, the principal of the academy, tried 
to keep an oversight of the scholars, and for this 
purpose distributed cards every Monday morning 
with blanks to be filled by the pupils. He did 
not require them to stay in every evening, but 
when they were out they were to put a mark on 
the card and tell him honestly where the even- 
ing was spent. Also, to be out after half-past 
nine they must ask special permission. 

George Arlington’s card always had more 
marks on it than any other, but when questioned 
Mr. Alden was pleased to see that he frankly 
confessed where he had been, though some of 
the places were questionable, for even sleepy old 
Exeter had its temptations to which the young 
were exposed. 

Violet was a gay, thoughtless, heedless crea- 
ture, who had grown up unchecked, but, for a 
wonder, was not spoiled. Nothing ever troubled 
Violet. If she got poor rank at the end of a 
quarter she scolded a little and then forgot all 
about it in half an hour. 

A great intimacy had sprung up between the 
Arlingtons and Farnsworths which troubled Mrs. 


EXETER ACADEMY 


25 


Jackson. Frank and George were great chums, 
and Maud and Violet inseparable friends. There 
was nothing apparent to condemn in the brother 
and sister, but Mrs. Jackson fancied there was a 
touch of insincerity in both of them. She dis- 
trusted Maud’s sweet eyes and lovely smile, and 
there was something about Frank, which, though 
she could not define it, caused her to fear he was 
not a fit associate for George. 

Jessie and Effie Lamb, the youngest scholars 
in the school, were disrespectfully termed 
“ Mary’s little Lambs,” by George, for the elder 
girl, as they all came from the same town, 
unconsciously assumed care of them. Mary was 
twenty, and the fact that she had taught one 
or two terms of school caused her to appear quite 
venerable in the eyes of the other young people. 

Monday evening, after the girls had gone out, 
Mrs. Jackson went downstairs and found George 
alone in the sitting-room, in the rocking-chair 
before the fire. 

The old south room had a cozy, homelike look 
with its drawn curtains and open fire. The chairs 
were old, but gay tidies covered the signs of age, 
the wall paper was faded, but the leaves of a 
glossy ivy hid the fact from the keen eyes of the 


26 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


observer, and a stand of plants in one window, 
mostly in bloom, filled the air with fragrance. 

George rose at once as Mrs. Jackson entered 
and gave her the rocking-chair. 

“ Why did n’t you go to the Endeavor meeting, 
George ? ” asked the lady, drawing up her work- 
basket. 

“ I should have been obliged to put a mark on 
my card if I had gone,” replied George, with an 
air of deep regret. 

“ I thought Mr. Alden gave you Sunday and 
Monday evenings to attend church and the 
Endeavor Society,” said Mrs. Jackson in surprise. 

“ He does grant us a dispensation Monday 
evening,” George replied ; “but we have to put a 
mark on our cards just the same, and, you see, I 
like to have one night clear at the end of the 
week, so I do n’t go.” 

“ O George ! ” said Mrs. Jackson smiling, “ that 
is a poor excuse.” 

“ Mr. Alden thinks anything is a good excuse 
that will keep us in the house. Would n’t he be 
happy if he could keep us shut up from Sunday 
night until Saturday! He would forgive me all 
my past sins if I should hand in my card without 
a mark on it.” 


EXETER ACADEMY 


27 

‘‘Why do n’t you try it?” Mrs. Jackson sug- 
gested. 

“ I do n’t believe I could stand it,” he replied 
gravely such close confinement would under- 
mine my system.” 

“ Soberly, George,” said Mrs. Jackson seriously, 
“ it would be much better if you stayed in more, 
or, at least, were not out so late.” 

“ A fellow does n’t like to have his teacher 
watching over him like a granny,” said the boy 
impatiently. “ What can happen to me in this 
sleepy old town ? ” 

“ Even in this sleepy old town there are places 
J should not want a boy of mine to go to,” said 
Mrs. Jackson quietly, “and there are young men 
with whom I should not want him to associate.” 

George’s face flushed, but he replied frankly : 

“ I confess I did feel mean the other night play- 
ing cards at Griggs’ store.” 

“Why, George!” exclaimed Mrs. Jackson, 
dropping her work, “have you been there? 
Why, a class of young men go there that I did 
not suppose you ever spoke to. Who took you 
there ? I know you did not go alone.” 

“ I went with one of the fellows,” replied George 
evasively. 


28 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ One of the fellows that make a practice of 
going there?” she asked. 

“ Oh, no,” he replied quickly, ‘‘we were going 
by and dropped in, that was all.” 

Mrs. Jackson could not have told why, but she 
suspected that Frank Farnsworth was the fellow 
George meant, for, though Frank appeared all 
right, she could not help distrusting him. She 
would not ask George, however, for she knew he 
never betrayed a friend. 

“ I hope you won’t go there again, George,” said 
she earnestly, “ for it is not a good place. The 
girls will play games with you here at home any 
evening, and you are at liberty to ask any of 
your friends in whenever you want to.” 

“ Do n’t tell them I went to Griggs’,” said he 
quickly. “ They would think I was n’t fit to 
enter the doors of Exeter Academy.” 

“ What you tell me in confidence is sacred,” 
said Mrs. Jackson; “but if I were you, George, 
I would not go to a place that I was ashamed to 
have the girls know about.” 

George flushed up for the second time, and, 
afraid that Mrs. Jackson would say more, he 
picked up a book and went to studying. 

Mrs. Jackson was a wise woman, for, knowing 


EXETER ACADEMY 


29 


that she had said enough, she held her peace. 
The silence remained unbroken until a whistle 
outside caused George to lay down his book. 

“ Is that a signal for you, George ? ” asked 
Mrs. Jackson pleasantly. 

“Yes ’m,” he replied; “it is Frank. I am go- 
ing out for a little while.” 

Mrs. Jackson sighed as the door closed behind 
him. George was not her son, but his mother 
was not there, and she felt that she must fill 
her place and watch over him as well as she 
could. She did not dream that Mrs. Arlington 
would not have troubled herself about where her 
son spent his evenings, nor worried about his 
companions, so long as they were well-dressed, 
gentlemanly fellows like Frank Farnsworth. 

George had been gone but a little while when 
the girls returned. 

“Where is George?” asked Violet. “If he 
does n’t look out, he will be out after hours 
again.” 

“ He went out a short time ago,” Mrs. Jackson 
replied. 

“With Frank Farnsworth, I suppose,” said 
Nelly. “ I do n’t see how George can endure so 
much of that fellow’s society. I can’t bear even 


30 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


the squeak of his boots. His initials just stand 
for what he is — F. F., very loud.*’ 

Something in her mother’s face caused Nelly 
to stop short and color high. Would she never 
learn to control her tongue ! What would the 
girls think of the profession she had made in the 
meeting they had just attended, if she ran on 
in that unchristian spirit about Frank as soon as 
she reached home ? 

The next morning breakfast was a little later 
than usual, and the last bell was ringing as Nelly 
ran down to the street. The slamming of the 
gate and footsteps behind her caused her to look 
round to see George leisurely following. 

“ I should think you had an hour to reach the 
academy in, at the rate you are travelling,” said 
she. 

I ’m in no hurry,” he replied. “ The bell 
rings in five minutes. There is no need of rush- 
ing ahead like a runaway steam engine.” 

I know why you are in no hurry,” declared 
Nellie, “ you do n’t want to report to Mr. Alden 
what time you got in last night.” 

“How do you know what time it was?” he 
demanded. 

“ I heard you creeping upstairs during the 


EXETER ACADEMY 


31 


small hours,” she replied. “ I had been asleep 
and woke up.” 

“ Mr. Alden had better make you night-watch- 
man and report to him about the boarders. But 
it was n’t in the small hours, Miss Jackson; it 
was only half-past eleven.” 

“ I had had one or two naps, anyway,” Nelly 
declared. 

“ Cat-naps,” George retorted. “You could n’t 
rest till you knew what time I came in. But 
I ’m not a sneak ; I ’m going to report to Mr. 
Alden this morning,” and with that he left her at 
the academy door. 


CHAPTER III 


THE RECITATION ROOM SEATS 

W HY did n’t you go to church to-night, 
George ? ” asked Violet one Sunday 
evening as her brother entered the south room 
at precisely half-past nine. 

George had turned over a new leaf and not 
broken a rule for a week. Mr. Alden’s lectures 
had evidently made some impression upon him, 
or his talk with Mrs. Jackson had done more 
good than that lady had dared to hope. 

“ I went down to the Salvation Army to hear 
Mrs. Gibbs exhort,” he replied. 

“ You must have been highly edified,” said 
Mary sarcastically. 

“ I was, ” he replied. “ They had the whole 

orchestra, drum, tambourine and cornet. They 

had some good singing, I tell you. They take 

week-day tunes and put Sunday words to ’em, 

and they sound first-rate.” 

32 


THE RECITA TION ROOM SEA TS 


33 


Those songs that Mrs. Gibbs sings are just 
horrid,” declared Mary. 

“ They are better than the dismal things they 
sing at church,” George retorted. 

Frank was at church, where he belonged,” 
said Violet, interrupting the dispute. “ I saw 
Mr. Alden looking at us ever so sharp. You ’ll 
have to report to-morrow morning.” 

“ I was at meeting,” George declared. “ The 
rules say that we must attend two religious services 
every Sabbath, and I have ; so I ’m all right.” 

“ To-morrow morning, Mr. Alden will inquire 
where you were,” Violet predicted ; “ see if he 
do n’t.” 

“Nonsense,” George replied, “he did n’t miss 
me.” 

Effie had a slight sore throat, and had not been 
out for the day. She was now lying on the sofa 
in the corner by the fireplace. 

“ Let us have a sing now,” proposed Nelly. 
“ Get the Gospel Hymns off the music rack, Vi.” 

“Ask Mrs. Gibbs to come in and join/’ sug- 
gested George, at which the girls uttered a shriek 
of dismay. 

“ Mrs. Gibbs has gone to sleep,” said Nelly, 
“ so let us have peace.” 

3 


34 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


‘'She sang like a lark to-night,” George de- 
clared ; “ she is leadei of the choir, and sits up 
among the brass instruments.’ 

“What shall we sing?” asked Nelly, on the 
piano-stool, turning over the leaves of the hymn 
book. 

“ Let us each select one,” proposed Mary, 
“ beginning with Mother Jackson.” 

“ I’ll select one of my favorites,” said she — 

“ Tell me the old, old story.” 

They all gathered around the piano, for it was 
one of their customs to close Sunday evening 
with a sing, which they all enjoyed, and which 
caused some of the pleasantest memories which 
they carried away with them from the old house. 

The next morning when Nelly went into the 
academy she found a group of girls gathered in 
the window of the girl’s cloak-room deep in an 
eager discussion of some event which had just 
occurred. 

“ O Nell ! ” exclaimed Maud, as she caught 
sight of her, “ we will have to omit all our recita- 
tions to Miss Emerson this morning.” 

“ Why?” asked Nelly in surprise. 

“ The funniest thing has happened ! ” chorused 


THE RECITA TION ROOM SEA TS 


35 

the girls. All the seats have disappeared from 
the hall and recitation room.” 

“ Disappeared ! ” cried Nelly aghast. “ Where ? ” 

That nobody knows,” laughed Maud. They 
are gone ; that’s all.” 

“ Only think, girls,” said Violet ; “ we can’t 
recite in English Literature ; the only class I 
enjoy.” 

“ Nor algebra,” added another. 

“ Nor Latin,” chimed in Nelly. “ My heart 
will break.” 

“ I think it is an especial dispensation of Provi- 
dence,” said Maud, “ for I have n’t looked inside 
of my Oiesar since Friday morning.’’ 

“ But do n’t they know what has become of 
them ? ” asked Nelly, in wide-eyed amazement. 
“ They could n’t have been spirited away.” 

Likely as not they were,” said Violet. 
“ Probably they flew out of the window in the 
night.” 

The Faculty are discussing the question now,” 
said Mary, glancing into the school-room. 

The girls left the window and went up to the 
desk. 

“ This mysterious disappearance will give me 
half a holiday,” said Miss Emerson to them. 


36 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Can ’t we have the classes without the seats ? ” 
asked Mary, who hated to lose a recitation. 

“ We would have to sit on the floor,” laughed 
Violet, “ and they do n’t keep it clean enough 
for that.” 

Mr. Alden touched the bell, and the scholars 
took their places. Nothing was said until after 
prayers; then Mr. Alden explained the matter, 
and after saying that if any of the scholars knew 
anything about the disappearance he would be 
glad to see them after school, called up his classes 
as usual. Nothing more was said publicly, but 
when the girls returned at noon they found 
the boys taking the seats off a cart before the 
door. 

‘‘Do tell us about it,” commanded Violet, “ and 
not tease.” 

“These seats have a tale to tell,” said Frank, 
impressively. “ They have been down to the 
Salvation Army barracks.” 

“ How in the world did they get there ? ” asked 
Nelly, in surprise. 

“ That nobody appears to know,” replied 
Frank. 

“ Did you ever ! ” exclaimed the girls. “ Who 
do you suppose did it ? ” 


THE RECITA TION ROOM SEA TS 37 

“ Who found out they were there ? ” asked 
Violet. 

“ Your humble servant,” replied Frank, taking 
off his cap with a flourish. 

“ How came you to be so wonderfully wise? ” 
asked Nelly bluntly. 

“ I put two and two together, that is all,” he 
replied. 

^‘You were n’t at the Salvation Army last 
night,” said Nelly, sharply. 

“ But I know a fellow who was,” he replied. 
“ Do n’t ask so many questions. I ’m going to 
keep mum, for I ’m not the fellow that gives 
away a chum.” 

Nelly entered the academy with a sober face. 
George had been at the Salvation Army the night 
before, and it would be just like him to play such 
a trick. 

Dear me ! ” she thought, “ why can’t that 
boy behave himself? Why need he always be 
up to some mischief? ” 

Another thing which roused her suspicions 
was that George was the only boy in the 
school who was not present at the unloading 
of the seats ; in fact he did not make his ap- 
pearance until after Mr. Alden had given the 


38 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

school a little lecture and the first recitation was 
over. 

“ Have you any excuse, Arlington ?” asked the 
teacher as George entered the room. 

“ No, sir,’’ he replied frankly. 

“ Then I shall mark you tardy,” said Mr. 
Alden gravely as George took his seat. 

In the lecture which he had given at the 
opening of the session, Mr. Alden had frankly 
stated that he had no doubt but that some of the 
scholars had caused the seats to be carried down 
to the Salvation Army barracks for fun, and that 
it was both disrespectful and against the rules of 
the school, for no one was allowed to remove seats 
from the building without special permission from 
the trustees. Notes were forbidden, but as George 
took his seat Nelly could not resist the temptation 
of sending a twisted communication down the 
aisle to Violet. 

“ O Vi,” it read, “ I ’m afraid George had 
something to do with those seats, ain’t you ? ” 

To which Violet scribbled the following reply : 

“ Of course he did it ; it is just like him.” 

Violet never let George’s scrapes trouble her, 
but Nelly always worried about them, for the boy 
was like a brother to her, and she wanted him to 


THE RECITA TION ROOM SEA TS 


39 

be good, and, then, she knew how anxious her 
mother always was when he got into mischief. 

After school Nelly had "some errands to do 
down town and was just leaving the grocer's 
when she met George. 

“ I say,” said he eagerly, “ what did Mr. Alden 
have to say about those seats this afteVnoon ? 
Of course he gave another lecture.” 

“ Yes,” replied Nelly, “ he did. He said he 
supposed somebody did it for a joke, but, for his 
part, he thought it was a pretty poor one.” 

“ Did n’t expect him to appreciate it,” chuckled 
George. “ Do you think he has any suspi- 
cions? ” 

“ I do n’t know. He said if any of us had any- 
thing to say to him on the subject he would be 
glad to hear it after school.” 

“ Oh, he did,” said George indifferently. 

Nelly watched him out of the corner of her eye 
for a moment, and then burst out : “ I should 
think you would be ashamed of yourself, George 
Arlington ! ” 

“Why, what have I done?” he asked inno- 
cently. 

“You know you sent those seats down to the 
Salvation Army,” said she severely. “ You are 


40 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


always doing something like that because you 
think it is smart, but I say it is decidedly silly.” 

“ Have you got through?” inquired George. 

Oh, I ’m not going to lecture,” said Nelly, 
tossing her head, “ for it does no good ; you ’ll 
do something just as bad by to-morrow.” 

“ That was n’t so very bad,” George declared. 
‘‘ I only did it for fun.” 

‘‘ Fun ! ” repeated Nelly scornfully. “ It is very 
poor fun making sport of religion and prayer. 
I ’m ashamed of you, George Arlington; I did 
think you had a little respect for religion, but 
you have n’t.” 

“ Hold on, Nell,” he cried, “ do n’t be so down 
on a fellow. You see,” he added confidentially, 
“ I am sorry I did it, but I did n’t stop to think.” 

“ That is the excuse you always make. Where 
do you suppose you will bring up if you never 
stop to think ? ” 

“ On the gallows, I suppose you infer,” said 
George gloomily. 

O George!” exclaimed Nelly, I did n’t 
mean any such dreadful thing.” 

“ Oh, I ’m a wicked, good-for-nothing fellow,” 
he continued, “ on the downward road to destruc- 
tion.” 


THE RECITA TION ROOM SEA TS 


41 


O George, don’t talk that way. You can be 
good if you ’ve a mind to try.” 

“ No, I can’t,” he declared, “ it ’s too hard work. 
I ’m all worn out with the effort I made last week. 
Your mother lectured me last Monday night, and 
I strained every nerve to behave myself ; was in 
every night at half-past nine, and kept two even- 
ings blank, but I lost a couple of pounds ; I was 
weighed this morning.” 

Dear me, I wonder that we girls live at all if 
virtue is so wearing!” said Nelly, with a sigh. 

“ It has n’t hurt you any yet, Nell,” said he con- 
solingly, ‘‘ but you will be as thin as a rail by the 
time you are as good as your mother.” 

Oh, I do n’t pretend to be good,” said Nelly 
meekly. 

Mother Jackson does n’t blow a fellow up 
when he gets into a scrape,” George continued, 
“but talks to him in a kind of way which makes 
him feel confoundedly uncomfortable.” 

“You ought to be ashamed to worry her so,” 
said Nelly severely. 

“I am,” he confessed; “but I ’m not going to 
tell you how bad I feel after the way you blew 
me up.” 

“You deserve to be blown up,” Nelly declared. 


42 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“Pm not going to pretend that I think your 
tricks are funny, but tell you the plain truth.” 

“You are the only girl who has lectured me,” 
he returned. “ Maud told me she thought it was 
a splendid joke.” 

Nelly made no reply except to elevate her 
little nose. 

“ Vi does n’t care either,” he continued ; “ so 
what is the use of your making such a fuss?” 

“ Maud Farnsworth is a perfect goose ! ” Nelly 
burst out. “If you should blow up the academy 
she would n’t have any more sense than to laugh 
and call it a good joke. I have n’t any more 
opinion of Maud Farnsworth than I have of that 
stone,” kicking an inoffensive pebble out of her 
way. 

“ I ’ll tell her what a flattering opinion you have 
of her,” said George. “ It will prevent your hav- 
ing to pretend you are her friend.” 

Nelly stopped short in dismay. “ O George ! ” 
she implored, promise that you will not repeat a 
word of what I have said ! ” 

“ I thought perhaps you would like to have her 
know what you think of her,” said he mercilessly, 
“ so that she won’t bother you with her friend- 
ship.” 


THE RECITA TION ROOM SEA TS 


43 


‘‘O George ! ” wailed Nelly, walking on with a 
dejected step, “ it is my abominable tongue. I 
wish I had bitten it out before I spoke.” 

“ What would be the difference ? ” asked George, 
‘‘you would have thought it just the same.” 

“ That would n’t be so bad as speaking it,” said 
Nelly. “ I do n’t see how I can help my thought. 
But, please, George, do n’t tell her what I said.” 

“ I’m not a tell-tale,” said George with dignity, 
“ but we fellows can’t help thinking a good deal, 
when we hear you girls run on about each other.” 

“ I know it,” sighed Nelly. “ I wish I had 
been born dumb.” 

“ Of course it is n’t so bad as sending those seats 
down to the Salvation Army,” George continued. 
“ That is worse than calling all my friends names 
behind their backs.” 

“O George!” pleaded Nelly, “please stop, 
and I won’t say another word about it.” 

“All right ; it ’s a bargain. Tam going to see 
what Mrs. Gibbs is going to give us for supper,” 
and dodging round the corner of the house George 
burst into the side door which opened into the 
kitchen. 

Mrs. Gibbs was bending over the stove con- 
cocting some dish which emitted a delightful 


44 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


odor. She turned round as the door opened, and 
a frown darkened her brow as she saw who was 
coming in. 

“ You need n’t come round here,” she exclaimed, 
“ for I can’t bear the sight of you.”. 

“ What have I done now?” asked George, 
drawing his mouth down in a grieved expression. 

- “ You need n’t look so dreadful innocent,” said 
she severely. “The minute I heard of it, I said, 
“ It ’s that young scamp of an Arlington. I hope 
now Mr. Alden will expel him for his wicked 
tricks.” 

“ Mrs. Gibbs, you ’ll break my heart,” said George, 
placing his hand over his vest pocket. “ What 
misunderstanding has come between us ? ” 

“You needn’t try none of your monkey- 
shines on me,” said the doubtful widow, casting 
a disdainful glance over her shoulder. “ If you 
amounted to a row of pins you ’d find something 
better to do than making fun of religion. You 
need n’t look so innocent ; you know you did it. 
You think it is cunning to make fun of prayer, I 
suppose.” 

George, pretending to be deeply affected, took 
out his handkerchief and wiped his eyes. * “ After 
all our years of happiness to be treated thus ! ” 


THE RECITA TION ROOM SEA TS 


45 


he murmured. “ O woman, what evils are com- 
mitted in thy name ! To think that a faithful 
friend should listen to base slanders.” 

“ Off with you,” cried Mrs. Gibbs, turning on 
him, brandishing the knife with which she was 
attending to her cooking. “ I won’t have you 
in my kitchen with your tricks. Clear out, or not 
a single tart will I give you for your supper.” 

At this awful threat George turned and fled, 
stopping at the window, however, to kiss his hand 
and wipe his eyes before he staggered out of 
sight. * 

That evening the bell rang and Nelly went to 
the door. 

There is a gentleman to see you in the parlor, 
George,” said she, coming into the south room 
with a queer look on her face. 

George knew by her expression who the gentle- 
man was, but made no comment as he rose and 
left the room. 

Poor old George,” said Violet, as the door 
closed behind her brother, “ he has got to take it 
now.^ 

It serves him right,” said Mary, planting her 
feet firmly on the fender. “ I hope Mr, Alden 
will give him what he deserves.” 


46 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


What passed in the parlor that evening re- 
mained a profound secret, as Nelly said ; thumb- 
screws could not have made George tell what 
his teacher said to him that night. It was soon 
known that George Arlington sent the seats down 
to the Salvation Army, but Mrs. Jackson often 
wondered if he carried out the joke alone. If he 
had an accomplice, he kept dark, and George did 
not betray him. 


CHAPTER IV 


THE ELECTION 

TTURRAH! hurrah! Cleveland 's elected, 
^ ^ just as I expected,” and George burst 
into the south room late one evening, trium- 
phantly waving his hat. 

“I don’t believe it,” declared Nelly. “They 
could n’t have heard so soon.” 

“ Run right down to the telegraph office then,” 
replied George. “ The returns are coming in 
thick and fast, and all for Cleveland.” 

“ I sha’n’t believe it until I hear it on reliable 
authority,” said Mary with dignity. 

“ The humble specimen of humanity you see 
before you was honored by hearing the despatches 
read,” said George, with a low bow. “ Several 
Republicans were there, but they stole away with 
drooping heads.” 

“You are nothing but a boy,” said Mary scorn- 
fully. “ They do n’t take boys into their con- 
fidence.” 


47 


48 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


‘‘You are nothing but a girl,” George retorted. 
“ I shall vote some day, but you can ’t.” 

“ What is it ? ” asked Violet, starting up from 
a nap on the sofa. 

“ George says Cleveland is elected,” said Nelly, 
“but I do n’t believe it.” 

“ Is he ? ” cried Violet, springing from off the sofa 
wide awake. ‘‘Joy to the world! Is n’t there 
something I can make a noise on ? May I send 
off a bunch of parlor matches. Mother Jackson ?” 

“ No,” said Mrs. Jackson decidedly. “I shall 
not let you play with fire.” 

“ Not a match shall you burn in Cleveland’s 
honor in this house,” Nelly declared. 

“How would you have felt to have had Mr. 
Alden walk in while you were hearing the official 
reports?” Mary asked George sarcastically. 

“I would have given him my sympathy,” 
George promptly responded. “ He would have 
known that nothing but a burning desire for the 
welfare of the nation would have kept me out 
after half past nine, for I have been a model of 
propriety since my last scrape ; haven’t I, Mother 
Jackson ? ” 

“ Yes, you have been a pretty good boy lately,” 
said Mrs. Jackson with an indulgent smile. 


THE ELECTION 


49 

“The nation is ruined,” said Nelly dolefully, 
“ if Cleveland is elected.” 

“Don’t cry, Nelly,” said George soothingly. 
“ There, there ! it was too bad she could n’t have 
her President, so it was ! ” and he patted her on 
the head, as though consoling her for the loss of 
a favorite doll. 

“You need n’t treat me like a baby,” cried 
Nelly. “I don’t believe Cleveland is elected; 
you are making it up just to plague us.” 

“ Run right down to the telegraph office if 
you doubt my word,” said George with dignity. 
“ Every Democrat is a liar, you think ; but you 
will find as you grow older that there are one 
or two that speak the truth.” 

“Come, come, children,” said Mrs. Jackson, 
“ it is after eleven o’clock ; you must not sit up 
any longer disputing over politics.” 

It was the evening after election, and, in spite 
of all rules, George had stayed out to hear the 
returns. For the last week politics had raged 
among the students of Exeter Academy, and boys 
and girls who a month before had hardly known 
the difference between Democrats and Repub- 
licans now became hot-headed politicians. 

The girls were awakened the next morning by 
4 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


SO 

the report of a gun under their windows. George 
was celebrating bright and early, but Nelly and 
Mary did not raise their curtains to signify that 
they heard, though when they opened their doors 
they found he had had his revenge, for a piece of 
crape was tied to each knob. 

“Mean thing!” cried Nelly, twitching it off, 
“ he is perfectly happy because he can crow over 
us.” 

“Don’t be cross with him, Nelly,” said her 
mother smiling. “ Remember you would have 
crowed if it had been the other way.” 

But Nelly did not possess what she called an 
“angelic temper,” and George provoked her 
terribly, and when he called after her : “ Why is 
Harrison like a tree ? Because he ’ll leave in the 
spring,” she felt a strong desire to box his ears. 

“ I believe I hate the Republicans for not 
carrying the day,” said she, bursting in upon the 
assembled girls in the cloak-room. 

“ Why, Nelly ! ” exclaimed Maud Farnsworth, 
“ why do you care who is elected ? ” 

“Ain’t you a Republican, Maud Farnsworth? ” 
demanded Nelly. 

“ Oh, I have n’t any politics,” said Maud 
smoothly: “ I’m on the fence.” 


THE ELECTION 


51 


‘‘ How long since ? ” demanded Nelly. “ You 
used to be a Republican.” 

“ She has been on the fence since she became 
intimate with the Arlingtons,” said Mary sarcas- 
tically. 

“ I would like to see the people I would change 
my politics for,” said Nelly, hanging up her 
jacket with a jerk and tossing her tam-o’-shanter 
after it. 

Girls ought not to have anything to do with 
politics,” said Maud in a tone of superior knowl- 
edge. “ Papa says he does not like to see women 
mixing themselves up with affairs that do not 
concern them. You ought to see what George 
sent Frank this morning. It was a skeleton about 
as long as my finger with a whisky jug in its hand, 
and this inscription tied to it : “ All there is left 
of the Republican Party.” 

But Nelly would not condescend to smile at 
any of Master George’s jokes, and going to her 
desk took out her books and became suddenly 
studious. 

There was an undertone of excitement all over 
the school as triumphant Democrats and down- 
cast Republicans took their seats. 

“Mr. Alden has gone into mourning! see his 


52 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


black tie? ” scribbled Violet on a piece of paper 
which she sent up to Nelly. 

As soon as they were sure of victory the 
Democrats of Exeter, like their brethren all over 
the United States, began to plan a celebration. 
George was probably the most interested of any 
one in town, but one thing troubled him : he 
could not illuminate because he was in Republican 
quarters. Nelly declared that not so much as a 
match should be burned in Cleveland’s honor on 
the place, but, in spite of her dreadful threats, he 
came in one noon with a number of candles cut 
into small pieces. 

“ What are you going to do with them ? ” 
Nelly demanded. 

“ I ’m going to illuminate,” he declared. 

“What have you got to illuminate ?” she re- 
torted. “You do n’t own a stick or a stone in 
Exeter that you can light up in honor of your 
old Cleveland.” 

“ I happen to rent two windows, though,” he 
declared. 

“ If you are planning to illuminate your room 
I ’ll tell you now that you can’t do it,” Nelly re- 
plied. “ My mother owns this house, and she 
won’t allow you to light up a single pane of glass.” 


THE ELECTION 


S3 


Suppose we go and ask her,” proposed 
George. “It is no use for us to scrabble about 
it.” 

Accordingly the boy and girl rushed out in 
search of Mrs. Jackson, whom they found in the 
dining-room in the hurry of getting dinner on the 
table. 

“ Mother Jackson, can’t Violet and I illuminate 
our rooms ?” cried George. 

“ O mamma, you won’t let him light up part 
of this house ; will you ? ” implored Nelly. 

Mrs. Jackson paused and looked at the young 
people with a smile. 

“You must remember, Nelly,” said she, “that 
George and Violet have a right to their own 
rooms.” 

“ O mamma ! ” said Nelly dolefully. 

“ Hurrah ! ” shouted George triumphantly. 

Mrs. Jackson’s word was law, and Nelly knew 
she must submit, though it was very hard, for 
she was proud of the fact that the Jacksons were, 
and always had been, loyal Republicans. 

“ I won’t have a light anywhere else,” she de- 
clared. “It shall be as dark as midnight.'' 

“ Won’t you allow us a light to see by?” her 
mother asked. 


54 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ No,” said Nelly grimly,” you ’ll have to sit in 
the dark.” 

The day of the celebration George spent all his 
leisure time putting up his candles. He and 
Violet had five windows between them — two in 
front and three on the side, and George placed 
a candle in each pane. As soon as supper was 
over he lighted up, and Violet zealously snuffed 
until the excitement in the streets proved too con- 
tagious for her to remain indoors, and Mrs. Jack- 
son was obliged to come to the rescue and keep 
the candles burning. Nelly insisted on the lights 
being put out, so the house was in total darkness 
except the Arlingtons’ windows. 

The town was ablaze with burning tar bar- 
rels, large bonfires, which crackled gloriously, 
and flaming torches. The procession headed by 
the brass band started from the hall and marched 
through all the principal streets. 

“ We can go out into the yard and see them go 
by,” said N elly . “If we stand back among the trees 
they can’t see us nor know that we are watching 
them.” 

Violet and Maud had gone off together the 
first of the evening, but the other girls, wrapped 
up in shawls, stood in a group together in the 


THE ELECTION 


55 


shadow of some lilac bushes. George’s candles 
burned brightly, thanks to Mrs. Jackson, for he 
had disappeared early in the evening. 

“ Here they come,” cried Nelly, her feet fairly 
dancing with excitement. “ I declare, it does 
look rather festive if they are Democrats ! I wish 
they would stop ringing those bells so we could 
hear the band.” 

The procession came round the corner to the 
inspiring air of “ Marching through Georgia,” 
while the bells rang, the cannons boomed, and 
the small boys tooted on horns. America can- 
not be happy without making a noise. 

Just as the procession came opposite the house 
a colored light suddenly blazed up, throwing a 
flood of quivering green light over everything, 
making the yard as bright as day, and revealing 
the girls in a group by the lilac bushes. 

“ Hurrah ! hurrah ! ” cheered the crowd. 

“ Cleveland ’s elected ! ” yelled the small boys. 

“As if we did n’t know it,” scolded Nelly. 
“ I would like to choke those boys.” 

“ Better choke George,” said Mary. “ He 
deserves it ; throwing a green light over us.” 

“ I will,” declared Nelly. “ The villain deserves 
to be hung ; hiding in the shadows and touching 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


S6 

off his horrid old light. I hope it burned his 
fingers. Where is he ? ” 

“ Down by the old maple,” said Mary, pointing 
out a shadowy figure revealed in the light of the 
procession. 

Nelly ran with all speed toward the large tree 
Mary indicated, but before she reached it a dark 
figure jumped over the fence. 

“ I should think you would run away,” she 
called after him. “ If you were anything but a 
Democrat, you would be ashamed to face us 
again after what you have done.” 

Cleveland ’s elected, 

Just as I expected ! ” 

was all the reply she got as George went off 
down the street after the procession which was 
now passing out of sight. 


CHAPTER V 


nelly’s temptations 

1\ yr AMMA told me I might invite some of 
the girls to spend the vacation with*me, 
and I know she expects Nelly, so do say that she 
can go,” coaxed Violet. 

“Yes, mamma, do! do!” chimed in Nelly. 
“ I have n’t been anywhere for a hundred years, 
and you might let me go that little way just for 
ten days.” 

“We ’ll take the best care of her,” said Violet, 
in her turn. “ We won’t let her take cold, eat 
too much Thanksgiving dinner, nor anything.” 

“You can ’t say no, mamma,” pleaded Nelly, 
“ for my heart will break if you do.” 

Mrs. Jackson looked down on the two girls at 
her feet with a smile. Violet was on a footstool, 
and Nelly was kneeling beside her, both coaxing, 
as only girls know how to coax, that Nelly 
might go home with Violet and spend the vaca- 
tion, which included Thanksgiving. 

57 


58 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ I do n’t see any objection ” she began, at 

which two pairs of arms were thrown about her 
neck, and she was obliged to cry for mercy to 
prevent being strangled. 

Nelly was jubilant at the thought of going away 
as the others did, instead of staying at home 
alone, which always made vacations so stupid. 
Onjy one thing clouded her anticipations, and 
that was that Maud was going too, for she 
always came between her and Violet and gave 
Nelly a left-out-in-the-cold feeling. She said 
nothing about it, however, and to all appearances 
nothing marred her perfect happiness. 

They were to start Friday, and Thursday even- 
ing Nelly went to her mother’s room to pack her 
valise. 

“ What dresses shall I take, mamma ? ” she 
asked, down on the floor beside her extension bag. 

“ Three will be enough,” replied Mrs. Jackson, 
taking some stitches in her daughter’s gloves. 
“Your best one for Sundays and Thanksgiving, 
a morning-dress, and your blue serge for every- 
day. I will tuck in a shirt waist for a change.” 

“ They are going to have a big party Thanks- 
giving,” said Nelly. “ I wish I had a pretty 
evening-dress.” 


NELLY'S TEMPTATIONS 


59 


“Your best dress will be all you will need,” 
replied her mother. “ I understand Violet that 
it is only a family party.” 

“ I know,” said Nelly, doubtfully ; “ but if they 
all dress the way Violet does my meek little gown 
will have to hide its diminished head.” 

“You must not harbor the little imp, envy, 
Nelly,” said her mother warningly. “Yourdress 
is both pretty and becoming.” 

“ I know it,” Nelly declared, “it is just lovely 
and I 'm as proud as a peacock when I get inside 
of it, so I ’m not going to care what Maud and 
Violet wear, but flatter myself that I look as well 
as they do.” 

They started on the noon train, and at five 
o’clock reached the station where they were to 
leave the cars, and found a large roomy carriage 
awaiting them, filled with fur ^obes, and driven 
by a stalwart young Irishman. 

“ How are you, Jerry?” said George, shaking 
hands with him. “The Democrats carried the 
day, did n’t they ? ” 

“Indade an’ they did,” said Jerry grinning. 
“ Ye ought to have seen the castle, sor, it was 
lit from cupola to cellar, and I hauled brush 
three days for the bonfire on the hill.” 


6o 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ I wish I ’d been at home,” said George. ** I 
did my best to celebrate, though. I lit up my 
own corner.” 

They climbed into the carriage, and, leaving the 
town behind them, drove out on the country 
road, between fields bare and brown. The short 
November twilight was fading fast, and a bright 
clear stripe of pink along the horizon told of the 
coming of clear cold weather. 

“ Is n’t this jolly? ” said George. “ There will 
be skating to-morrow if this weather holds. 
Plenty warm, girls ? ” 

“ Oh, yes, who would n’t be under these robes ? ” 
said Nelly, in a voice of pure content. 

“ This is our sealskin buffalo,” said Violet 
laughing. “ When papa came home from the 
west, Mr. Tuffs, a funny man who works in the 
quarry, said the Squire had a real sealskin buffalo 
robe that he had shot himself.” 

“ And that mamma had a real seal-plush cloak,” 
added George. “ See, there is the house, all lit 
up in honor of the prodigal son’s return.” 

“Prodigal son!” pouted Violet. “You 
need n’t claim all the honors. Oh, the flag is 
flying! Can you see it against the sky, girls?” 

For a moment they saw the house, which 


NELLY'S TEMPTATIONS 


6l 


George and Violet so eagerly pointed out, on the 
summit of a high hill, with its lighted windows 
and the flag flying from the cupola, then they 
plunged into a hollow and it was lost from sight. 

You have got just fifteen minutes to get us 
home, Jerry,” said George, taking out his watch. 
“ If you are half a second more I shall know that 
you have had Patsy out all day.” 

Jerry grinned and drew up slightly on the 
reins, so that the handsome chestnut they were 
riding behind laid back her ears and started 
off on a long swinging trot, as though she under- 
stood George ’s words, and knew she would be 
disgraced if she failed to get them home on the 
minute. 

Soon they turned into an avenue bordered with 
skeleton trees whose branches showed like lace- 
work against the clear sky. On either side were 
fields so perfectly kept up that even now they 
were an olive green. The driveway wound up 
higher and higher, but Patsy carried them at a 
steady trot, for she knew that a loose box in a 
warm stable with a good supper awaited her, 
and at last they paused before the front entrance, 
beneath a large lamp with a reflector, which made 
it as light as day. 


62 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


The sound of wheels had been heard, for the 
door stood open, revealing the long lighted hall 
within, and Nelly felt suddenly shy as she saw 
what a grand, beautiful place was George’s and 
Violet’s home. But not so Maud ; the “ castle,” 
as the work-people called the Arlington place, did 
not awe her, and she told Jerry to bring in her 
valise and umbrella as though she was in the 
habit of ordering about a servant. 

George and Violet, in the joy of being home 
again, had almost forgotten their guests. George 
had bounded up the steps into the hall where a 
lady, still young and pretty, only eighteen years 
older than the boy, was kissing him, telling him, 
proudly, that he had certainly grown taller during 
the term, while Violet, with both arms around 
the neck of a tall gentleman, was talking as fast as 
her tongue could run. 

Maud and Nelly stood just inside the door, and 
the latter never forgot the pretty picture made 
by the soft lights, handsome rooms, and the group 
standing in the foreground ; Mrs. Arlington 
with her soft white hand on George’s shoulder 
looking proudly up into his face ; Violet flushed 
and sparkling, clinging fondly to her father’s arm. 
George was the first to remember their guests. 


NELL Y'S TEMPTA TIONS 63 

‘‘ Here, mamma,” said he, “ you have not 
spoken to the girls.” 

“ I have brought Maud and Nelly, mamma,” 
said Violet, turning to her mother, “just as you 
told me to. Isn’t it jolly they could come ! ” 

“ But which is which ? ” said Mrs. Arlington, 
turning smilingly to the girls and holding out a 
hand to each. “ I feel quite well acquainted with 
you, George and Violet have talked about you 
so much ; but which is Maud and which Nelly? ” 

“ Guess,” proposed George. 

Mrs. Arlington looked smilingly into the up- 
turned girlish faces for a moment, and then said: 

“ It is not hard to tell ; the fair-haired one is 
Maud, and the brown-haired one, Nelly.” 

“How did you know?” asked Nelly, while 
Maud smiled her prettiest smile which always 
“ took ” with her elders. 

“ Instinct,” declared George. “ I knew she 
would guess right. She ought to, after all she 
has heard about you.” 

“ Because she knew how pretty Maud is,” 
thought Nelly. 

“ Because she knew I was the prettiest,” thought 
Maud, complacently. 

“ I am glad to see you both,” said Mr. Arling- 


64 the young capitalist 

ton, shaking hands cordially. “You must make 
yourselves at home here and have a good time.” 

“ Supper will be ready in twenty minutes,” 
said Mrs. Arlington, “ so you will have just time 
enough to show your guests to their room, 
Violet.” 

Violet led the way up-stairs to a large handsome 
room, and Nelly felt as though she had stepped 
into a fairy palace, everything about her was so 
beautiful. The soft balmy air filling the whole 
house, made it feel like summer. 

“ Well, young man,” said Mr. Arlington to his 
son as they gathered round the tea-table, “ from 
the reports I have had I should imagine you had 
managed to have a pretty gay time this term.” 

“ He has got into no end of scrapes, papa,” said 
Violet, answering for her brother. “ Mrs. Jackson 
and Mr. Alden together can ’t keep him straight.” 

“ Let me see,” said Mr. Arlington looking 
across the table, “ that little girl is Mrs. Jackson’s 
daughter; is n’t she ? ” 

“Yes, sir,” Violet explained, “this is Nelly.” 

“ If she is anything like her mother I shall be 
glad to make her acquaintance,” said the gentle- 
man heartily. 

Nelly flushed with pleasure at this compliment 


NELLY'S TEMPTATIONS 


65 


to her mother, and, from that moment, she felt a 
hearty liking and respect for Violet’s father, which, 
in all the years that followed, she never lost. 

Violet had told the girls to bring their skates ; 
and the next morning they started for the pond 
not far from the house, which had frozen over as 
if for their especial benefit. In the afternoon 
George took them to drive with his own horse. 
They passed the quarry, which Nelly would have 
liked to have visited, but as none of the others 
showed any interest in it she said nothing of her 
desire. 

Sunday morning Nelly put on her best dress 
of soft plaid with its pretty trimmings of silk and 
velvet, thinking they would drive into town to 
church, but breakfast was later than usual, and, 
with the exception of Nelly, the ladies all made 
their appearance in morning wrappers. 

It is so cold I can’t think of going out to- 
day,” said Mrs. Arlington, drawing her chair close 
to the open fire when breakfast was over. 

‘‘ The horses will have a rest then,” said her 
husband, unfolding his newspaper. 

“ What will we do ? ” said Violet, dolefully. 
“ Oh dear, I just hate Sundays ! ” 

‘‘You will find half-a-dozen new books in the 
5 


/ 


66 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


library/' said Mrs. Arlington. “ I sent and got 
them to amuse you girls with to-day.” 

‘‘ How perfectly lovely ! ” they cried, and all 
three made a rush for the library at once. 

Nelly was a little disappointed, for she had 
counted on going to church, and thought the 
drive in the clear morning air would be delightful ; 
but half-a-dozen new books would atone for 
everything. 

“ How kind and lovely of Mrs. Arlington to 
plan for our enjoyment ! ” she exclaimed. 

They found the books on the library table, and 
Maud and Violet, each selecting one, settled down 
in opposite easy chairs and were soon absorbed in 
their contents. But Nelly was not so easily sat- 
isfied. She never read a book without her mother’s 
consent, but as it was impossible to get that 
under the circumstances, it was not the reason 
of her hesitation. It seemed to her as though the 
books were not exactly fit for Sunday reading ; 
in fact, they were not the style of book her mother 
got for her to read, and yet — Mrs. Arlington 
had selected them for Violet, and that lady must 
know what was fit for her daughter as well as 
Mrs. Jackson knew what was suitable for hers. 
What should she do ? 


NELLY'S TEMPTATIONS 


67 


Maud and Violet, deep in their books, did not 
heed Nelly’s hesitation, as she moved about the 
room, wishing she could find something that 
she would know was fit reading for Sunday morn- 
ing. Although it was called a library, there were 
no books in the room, except a few tucked away 
in a closet, which looked as though they had been 
purchased on railroad trains. Newspapers there 
were in plenty, and a few magazines, but the room 
looked as though it had been used principally to 
smoke in, to judge from the ash-trays and cigar- 
holders scattered about. Failing to find anything 
else Nelly picked up one of the books and was 
soon as deeply absorbed as the other girls, but the 
question would keep returning : “ Would mamma 
like to have me read this? Is it a fit book for 
Sunday? ” In spite of these questions of con- 
science she could not bear to put it down. 

The dinner-bell broke the stillness of the silent 
house, and, reluctantly laying down their books, 
the girls went out into the dining-room. 

How do you like my books, girls ? ” asked 
Mrs. Arlington. 

“ Oh, very much,” replied Maud. 

Mine is awfully interesting,” said Violet, but 
Nelly said nothing. 


68 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


As soon as dinner was over the girls returned 
to the library, but as Nelly took up her book the 
question forced itself upon her again : “ Am I 

doing right to read this to-day of all days ? ” 

“There!” she thought resolutely; “I know 
I am doing wrong or I should n’t feel so uneasy 
about it. I won’t read another word,” and pushing 
the book under a pile of newspapers she turned 
and left the room. 

“Where are you going?” asked Violet, with- 
out taking her eyes off her book. 

“ Up-stairs to write a letter,” she replied. 

“ It can’t be wrong to talk to mamma on paper,” 
she thought, “ Oh dear 1 home is the best place 
after all.” 

She was just bringing her letter to a close 
when there came a rap, or more properly speak- 
ing, a pound, upon her door. 

“ What is wanted ? ” she asked. 

“ Come down and amuse me,” replied a voice, 
“ or I shall go away and hang myself. This is the 
longest day in the year. I tried to stir up ‘the 
girls in the library but they are buried alive in 
their novels, and I could n’t get a word out of 
them.” 


NELLY'S TEMPTATIONS 69 

‘‘ Wait a minute and I ’ll be down,” said Nelly, 
hunting for a postage-stamp. 

After sealing and directing her letter Nelly 
went out into the hall and found George seated 
on the upper step of the staircase, disconsolately 
whistling a tune. 

“ What do you want me to do ? ” she asked. 

“ Come down-stairs and play the exciting game 
of Tiddledy Winks.” 

“ O George ! you know it is Sunday.” 

“ Is it ? I ’d forgotten. You see it is vacation 
and I have n’t had to go to church. But we 
must do something to while away the time. I ’ll 
show you girls those conjuring tricks you wanted 
me to.” 

“O George! on Sunday?” said Nelly indig- 
nantly. “You ought to be ashamed.” 

“ It is n’t Sunday now,” he declared ; “ the sun 
has set, so it is Monday.” 

“You did n’t keep Saturday evening,” she 
retorted. “ The Puritans did n’t cut off both 
ends.” 

“ I shan’t be able to keep Sunday long at this 
rate,” sighed George ; “ it will wear me out. I 
bet I have lost two pounds to-day. Come down 
to the stable and get weighed, Nell.” 


70 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ To-inorrow morning I will, but not now.” 

“ Well, will you come down into the parlor 
and sing me a hymn ? ” he asked meekly. “ Old 
Hundred, Rock of Ages, or some of those lively 

• yy 

airs. 

“Yes, let us have a sing,” said Nelly, starting 
down-stairs. *“ Perhaps the girls will join us.” 

It was growing too dark to read, so the girls 
laid down their books and gathered round the 
piano just as they were in the habit of doing at 
Mrs. Jackson’s. 

“ This is nice,” said Mrs. Arlington as Nelly 
seated herself on the music-stool. “ I was go- 
infi to ask you to sing something. Now I am 
going to call for my favorites. I want Nancy 
Lee first.” 

Poor Nelly! what should she do? To play 
would be cowardly, but how could she refuse her 
hostess? Her cheeks burned as she sat motion- 
less before the grand piano. 

“Don’t you know that, Nelly?” asked Mrs. 
Arlington kindly. 

“Oh, Nell can ’t play Nancy .Lee to-night, 
mamma,” spoke up George. “ We are not 
allowed to sing anything but hymns at Mrs. 
Jackson’s on Sunday,” 


NELL V'S TEMPT A TIONS 7 1 

“ Indeed ! ” said Mrs. Arlington, shrugging her 
shapely shoulders. “ I did not know she laid 
down such strict rules. But you are not at Mrs. 
Jackson’s now. I will allow you to sing anything 
you please.” 

Nelly rose, and, turning to Violet, said in a low 
tone : 

“You play to-night, Vi.” 

“ I do n’t believe I can,” said Violet good- 
naturedly, “ but I ’ll try. 

“ You want to do the way the Salvationists do, 
Nell,” said George, “take week-day tunes and 
put Sunday words to ’em, then you ’ll have the 
whole combination. They have a jolly one by 
the tune of ‘Not for Joe;’ I ’ll sing it if you 
want me to.” 

“ No,” said Mrs. Arlington. “ I want Nancy 
Lee. Can you play the accompaniment, Violet? ” 

Violet made the attempt, but music did not 
flow from her fingers as it did from Nelly’s, and 
they missed the latter’s birdlike voice which 
usually led the little chorus. 

Nelly did not sing, but stood flushed and silent 
in the shadow of the window curtain, looking 
with troubled eyes out on the lawn, now grow- 
ing dim in the fading light. She thought she 


72 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


had lost Mrs. Arlington’s good opinion, and for 
a young girl who had given that lady the fresh, 
warm admiration of her heart this was a great 
trial. 

“ I did right,” she thought, “ but it was awful 
hard. I wonder if God has been pleased with 
me? I have wanted to do wrong all day.” 

In her humility Nelly did not know that she 
had come off more than conqueror because she 
had obeyed the voice of her conscience. 


CHAPTER VI 


WHAT MAUD DID 

IV /r AMMA, where are you?” called Violet 
from the foot of the stairs. 

“Here I am. What is wanted?” and Mrs. 
Arlington came out of her room and stood in the 
upper hall. 

Violet ran up-stairs, two steps at a time, while 
the other girls remained below, looking up with 
bright, eager faces. 

“ O mamma ! ” said Violet breathlessly, “ there 
is a phonograph down town ; a real live phono- 
graph. May we go and see it ? ” 

“ Do you want to go down town just to hear 
a phonograph ? ” said Mrs. Arlington smiling. 

“ None of us'have ever heard one,” said Violet, 
“ and Mr. Alden says they are one of the most 
wonderful things in the world.” 

“ But it is four o’clock now,” said the lady, 
glancing at her watch. 

73 


74 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ But oh, mamma, we want to go this evening. 
That will be the best of all.” 

“ Well, you must wait and ask your father,” 
said Mrs. Arlington. “ If he is willing, I am.” 

“ Papa is down at the quarry and won’t be back 
till six. Do you suppose we can wait, girls ? ” 
asked Violet, turning to the others. 

“ He will say yes if you coax like everything,” 
said Maud. “ Papa is twice as apt to let me do a 
thing as mamma.” 

“ But I want things settled,” said Violet. I 
hate to leave them hanging.” 

“ Let us plan about the tableaux,” suggested 
Nelly, “then we will forget all about it.” 

It was Monday afternoon. All the shadows 
had disappeared from Nelly’s face, and she was 
radiantly happy. To use her own words, Violet’s 
home was the nicest place in the world, Mrs. 
Arlington was perfectly lovely, and Nelly was 
having a splendid time. The unpleasant things 
of the day before were forgotten, for Mrs. Arling- 
ton had been as smiling and gracious as ever that 
morning and had won all the girls’ hearts by pro- 
posing a set of tableaux to entertain the guests 
Thanksgiving evening. 

Where is the girl who is not made happy 


WHA T MA UD DID 


75 


by the prospect of tableaux ? No wonder these 
three were happy planning for these, for Mrs. 
Arlington placed the house and everything in it 
at their disposal, consenting to take down the 
lace curtains, and promising to hunt up white kid 
slippers and wedding-veils for their adornment. 

Of course when his daughter met him at the 
door with the entreaty that he allow them to go 
down town to hear the phonograph Mr. Arlington 
gave his consent at once. He made only one 
condition, and that was that Jerry must go and 
drive them. No one objected to that but George, 
who wanted to drive the girls himself, but his 
father insisted upon the Irishman’s going, for 
he wanted some errands done which he could 
not trust to his rattle-brained son. 

At seven o’clock Jerry brought the carriage to 
the door, and they all got in. It was so cold that 
Mrs. Arlington could not go out on the piazza to see 
them off, but drew aside the curtains and watched 
them from the window. The girls waved their 
hands and George touched his cap as they drove 
’ off down the avenue. 

O Vi, your mother is just lovely ! ” said Nelly 
warmly, as she nestled under the robes beside her 
friend. 


76 the young capitalist 

“So is yours,” said Violet merrily; “so we 
are even.” 

“Yes, but it is a different kind of loveliness,” 
said Nelly, with a warm glow at her heart as she 
thought of her gentle little mother. 

Jerry left them at the hotel where the phono- 
graph was, and they went in, pausing by the reg- 
ister in the hall to get warm. 

The wonderful machine was in the front room, 
and seated round it were a number of people hold- 
ing tubes to their ears, listening with absorbed 
faces, while only a clicking noise could be heard 
by the others. 

“ Do n’t they look funny? ” said Violet, laugh- 
ing behind her muff. 

“ It is five cents apiece,” reported George. 
“When those folks get up we will help ourselves 
to the tubes. What do you want to hear, girls? ” 

“ Everything,” ordered Violet. 

“ Look here ! ” replied George, “ you can’t 
have more than I can pay for.” 

“ Mamma gave me a dollar,” said Violet. 
“ Grandpa is coming Wednesday, and you must 
have some of your month’s allowance left or he 
will lecture you about throwing away your 
money.” 


WHA T MA UD DID 


77 


Soon four of the tubes were vacant and they 
made haste to secure them. 

“ What will you have ? ” asked the proprietor, 
as the four young people took their seats. 

“ What do you want, girls? ” asked George. 

“ I want to hear it talk,” said Maud eagerly. 

“This is a story told by a man in Boston,” 
said the proprietor, making some mysterious 
changes. 

As Nelly put the tubes in her ears a queer 
little thrill went all over her like an electric cur- 
rent. A thin, small voice, sounding as though it 
was coming out of the neck of a bottle, began 
to speak, and a scene was acted upon a small 
stage before the ear instead of the eye. 

“ It makes a fellow’s head swim to think what 
a wonderful chap that Edison is,” said George, 
removing the tubes. “ What will you take next ? 
We want one of a kind, I suppose.” 

“ I would like to hear a band of music,” said 
Nelly, studying the programme which was pinned 
on the wall. 

“ Very well,” said the proprietor. “ This is 
one of Sousa’s popular band pieces : ‘ Manhattan 
Beach March.’” 

Again, on a tiny scale, came a burst of band 


78 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

music, and Nelly felt as she did when Mr. Alden 
gave her a shock from the battery, 

I do n’t know whether I enjoy it or not,” 
said she, when it was over. “ It is so wonderful 
and strange.” 

But Violet was eager to hear a song, and after 
that they adjourned to the back parlor to rest 
awhile. There were quite a number of young 
people there who were acquainted with the 
Arlingtons, and as they came up to speak to them 
Violet and George introduced their friends, and 
they had a merry time among themselves out in 
the back parlor. 

“ See here,” said George, coming up to the 
group, did you know that there is a theater 
troupe here that is going to play to-night? ” 

Oh, is n’t that splendid !” cried Violet. “ Have 
you got money enough to take us, George ? ” 

“ I guess so,” he replied, “ if we do n’t spend it 
all on the phonograph.” 

Is n’t it lucky we came down to-night,” con- 
tinued Violet. “ We would n’t have known a 
thing about it if we had n’t.” 

“ But ought we to go without your father or 
mother knowing anything about it?” asked 
Nelly. 


WHAT MAUD DID 


79 

“They won’t care,” said Violet carelessly. 
“ They always let us go wherever we want to.” 

“ But the play ? Are you sure it is good ? ” 
asked Nelly, still in doubt, for she had been 
brought up to avoid second-rate theaters and low 
exhibitions of any sort. 

“ For mercy’s sake, Nell, do n’t make a fuss,” 
said Maud impatiently. “ You are determined 
to spoil all our fun. We are not under Mr. 
Alden’s eye now, so do let us have a good time.” 

“ There is a bill in the office,” said George ; 
“ come out and look at it.” 

Violet followed her brother, but Maud and 
Nelly remained behind. 

“ Now do n’t make a fuss, Nell,” said Maud. 
“ If they decide to go we can’t say anything but 
get all the fun we can out of it.” 

“ Of course I sha’n’t make a fuss,” replied Nelly 
indignantly ; “ I shall have to go if they do, but 
I don’t think second-class theaters are very nice.” 

“ How do you know that this is second-class?” 
demanded Maud. 

“ I do n’t know that it is, and hope it is n’t, for 
I love a good pure play,” Nelly added honestly. 

“ I know it is splendid,” Violet declared, com- 
ing up to them. “ We must go.” 


8o 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ But can ’t we have one more piece from the 
phonograph ? ” Maud asked. “ I want to hear a 
cornet solo.” 

“ We have got just twenty minutes.” said 
George, consulting his watch, “ that will give us 
time to hear the phonograph once more.” 

Nelly took up the tubes, and was soon so ab- 
sorbed that she did not notice that Maud drew 
George and Violet to one side. She thought they 
were with her, until the piece was finished, when, 
to her surprise, she found she was surrounded 
with strangers. She looked eagerly round for 
her friends, and soon saw Maud making her way 
towards her. 

“ Come,” said she, beckoning, ‘‘ Jerry is here 
with the carriage.” 

Have they decided not to go to the play ? ” 
Nelly asked in surprise. 

“ We are going — out to the carriage,” Maud 
replied over her shoulder. 

Nelly followed, wondering what it all meant, 
but as Maud seemed in a hurry she did not stop 
to ask any questions. In the yard they found 
Jerry waiting beside the carnage. 

“You get in first,” said Maud, drawing back, 
9 ,nd Nelly obeyed, never doubting but that Maud 


WHA T MA UD DID 


8l 


would follow, and George and Violet would soon 
make their appearance. But no sooner was she 
in than Maud disappeared and Jerry took up the 
reins. 

“ Wait ! ” cried Nelly as he was about to drive 
off. “ The others are not here. Maud ! Maud ! 
Why, where did she go ? ” and Nelly put her head 
out of the carriage and looked about for her 
friend, but not a sign of her was to be seen ; 
there were only a few young men standing about 
the yard. 

“They are not coming,” said Jerry. “She 
went back into the house.” 

“ But they are coming,” Nelly persisted. 
“ Maud must have gone back after them.” 

“ They are going to the theater,” Jerry replied. 
“ They told me to take you home because you 
did n’t want to go.” 

Poor Nelly! The conviction suddenly flashed 
upon her that she was not wanted, and they had 
taken this way to get rid of her. 

“ Shall I carry you home,” said the young 
Irishman, partly guessing the truth, “ or will you 
go back?” 

“No, it is all right,” said Nelly proudly; 

“ drive on.” 

6 


82 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Jerry obeyed, and Nelly shrank back into the 
corner of the carriage too angry to cry over the 
way she had been treated. For a moment she 
was tempted to order Jerry to drive to the depot, 
take the night train for home, and never speak to 
Maud, George or Violet again ; but she had not 
brought her purse with her and had no money to 
buy a ticket. She must go back to the Arling- 
tons, but would start for home the first thing in 
the morning, in spite of the Thanksgiving party 
and the tableaux she had looked forward to with 
so much pleasure. All her fun was spoiled. 
How could Violet treat a guest so shamefully! 
And George ! With all his faults he was always 
polite and honorable. 

The first heat of her anger over tears stole 
down Nelly’s cheeks, and she had a little cry all 
alone in the corner of the carriage. Jerry, the 
warm-hearted young Irishman, looked anxiously 
over his shoulder at the little figure crouching on 
the back seat, but did not venture to say any- 
thing in the way of consolation. 

Nelly dried her eyes and tried to look as usual 
as Jerry drew rein at the door and helped her out 
of the carriage. Mr. and Mrs. Arlington looked 
up in surprise as she entered the room alone. 


WHA T MA UD DID 83 

Where are the others ? ” asked the lady. 
“ Did you come back all alone, Nelly? ” 

Nelly was spared the trouble of answering by 
Jerry, who entered the room, hat in hand, and 
handed a note to his mistress. 

“ Oh,” said she, hastily reading it, “ they have 
staid over to go to a theater that is playing there. 
You must go for them at ten, Jerry.” 

Jerry, thus dismissed, went out, and Mr. Arling- 
ton, looking at Nelly, who was slowly taking off 
her wraps, said kindly, 

“Why did n’t you stay? Not sick, I hope.” 

“ No, sir,” said Nelly briefly. 

“ Violet says that Nelly did n’t want to stay, 
and asked if Jerry could not bring her home,” said 
Mrs. Arlington, referring to the note in her hand. 

Nelly’s lip curled scornfully. Violet had told a 
direct lie — Violet whom she had always supposed 
was the soul of honor. 

“ She must be sick,” Mr. Arlington declared. 
“ No girl would miss that fun unless she were.” 

“Are you sick, Nelly?” asked Mrs. Arlington 
anxiously. ‘‘ You must have something done for 
you if you are.” 

“ I am perfectly well,” Nelly replied. “ In- 
deed, there is nothing the matter with me.” 


84 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Did you think it was not right to go to 
this theater, Nelly ? ” asked Mrs. Arlington, an 
idea occurring to her. 

“ Mamma does n’t allow me to go to plays very 
often,” she replied, for they are not nice usually, 
but I did n’t know anything about this one.” 

“ You were very foolish to lose your fun,” said 
Mrs. Arlington. “I don’t imagine this is first- 
class, but it would have done you no harm to 
have gone to it.” 

Nelly made no reply, but leaving her wraps in 
the hall, asked Mrs. Arlington if she would 
excuse her as she wished to go to her room. 
The lady gave her a gracious permission, but as 
she left the room, Nelly heard Mr. Arlington say : 

“ What a conscientious little puss she is ! I 
have taken a great fancy to her.” 

Nelly felt that she did not deserve this com- 
pliment, for, in spite of her scruples, she would 
have gone to the play if her friends had not 
prevented it. 

Mrs. Arlington might have been afraid for her 
health had she seen her lying on the floor, sob- 
bing as though her heart would break. Poor 
Nelly! she was sure no one had ever been so 
ill-treated before ; and in the trouble which 


WHA T MA UD DID 


85 


seemed so heavy on her young shoulders, she 
longed for her mother, and wished with all her 
heart that she was at home. She heard the 
young people when they returned, and going to 
the mirror, began to take down and brush out 
her hair. She gave it fifty strokes every night in 
hopes that by so doing she would get the curl 
out of it, for having such kinky hair was a great 
trial to Nelly. 

Presently steps came up the stairs, the knob 
turned, and Maud entered the room. Nelly did 
not turn, but continued to brush her pretty wavy 
hair before the glass. 

“ Ain ’t you going to speak to me ? ” asked 
Maud, as Nelly did not turn nor look in her 
direction. 

“ Maud Farnsworth ! ” said Nelly, suddenly 
facing her with flashing, indignant eyes, “ I ’ll 
never go anywhere with you again, never so long 
as I live.” 

I ’m sure I do n’t care,” said Maud with a gay 
laugh. That won’t put me out any.” 

Nelly wheeled back and continued her brush- 
ing, counting, “ Twenty-five, twenty-six, twenty- 
seven,” as she faced her flushed, indignant image 
in the mirror. She was hurt that George and 


86 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Violet should treat her as they had, but she was 
so angry with Maud that she could feel the rage 
burning in her heart. 

Some one came running up-stairs, and Violet 
burst into the room. 

“O Nell,” she exclaimed, “you ought to have 
gone ! They played the Bartender’s Daughter, 
and we had such fun.” 

“Nelly is mad with us,” said Maud, as Nelly 
made no reply. “ She says she will never go any- 
where with us again.” 

“Why?” asked Violet in astonishment. 

“ Because we went to the play, I suppose,” 
said Maud, “ instead of going home with her.” 

“ Why, she said she wanted to go home,” said 
Violet, more and more surprised. 

“ When did I say it ? ” demanded Nelly, turn- 
ing on her fiercely. 

“ Why, you told Maud, and she came and told 
us while you were listening to the phonograph, 
and George said Jerry could drive you home if 
you wanted him to.” 

“ You did n’t ask me if I wanted Jerry to drive 
me home,” said Nelly with curling lip. 

“ Maud did while we were getting the tickets. 
Why, Nellie Jackson, do you think we sent you 


WHA T MA UD DID 87 

home because we did n’t want you ? ” demanded 
Violet, whirling round and facing her friend. 

“ It looks like it,” Nelly replied. “ I do n’t 
remember saying anything about wanting Jerry 
to take me home.” 

“ That is what you told us, Maud,” said Violet, 
turning to her friend, who was sitting on the floor 
unlacing her boots. 

“ That is what she told me,” said Maud indif- 
ferently. “You said you didn’t think it right 
to go to the play because your mother would n ’t 
approve, so I asked George and Violet if Jerry 
could n’ t take you home.” 

“You did it to get rid of me,” said Nelly hotly, 
“ and cheated me by making me think you were 
all going home. It was a mean, dishonest trick, 
and I ’ll never forgive you — never ! ” 

“O Nelly!” said Violet, half sobbing, “I’m 
so sorry ! I wished ever so many times you were 
with us, but I thought you wanted to go home. 
Please forgive me ! I ’m just as sorry as I can be. 
I would n’t have had it happen for anything. 

“ I don ’t blame you, Vi,” said Nelly gently. 
“ I see that it wasn’t your fault.” 

“ I ’m the one to blame,” said Maud, drawing 
on her pretty pink bedroom slippers. “ She says 


88 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


I was cheating her, when I thought I was doing 
it for her pleasure. Well, I m glad I do n’t get 
mad every time things do n’t go straight. If you 
wanted to go to the play why did n’t you say so 
instead of pretending that you thought it was 
wrong ? ” 

“ If I had only spoken to her myself,” said 
Violet, crying in earnest now, ‘‘ or if you had n’t 
gone while we were getting the tickets. George 
didn’t have money enough and wanted .my 
dollar.” 

“ I do n’t blame you, Vi,” Nelly repeated, “ so 
do n’t cry any more.” 

“ But it was horrid to treat you so,” she sobbed, 
“and I did want you all the time.” 

Nelly could not doubt Violet’s sincerity, and 
it comforted her to know that one friend was 
true ; but her heart was filled with a bitter rage 
toward Maud. She could not speak to her, but 
went about her preparations for the night in si- 
lence, irritated all the more by the hateful little 
smile with which Maud watched her. When it 
came to saying her prayers she found she could 
not while her heart was so full of rage, and, 
almost for the first time in her life, Nelly crept 
into bed without first kneeling beside it. 


WHA T MA UD DID 


89 


Maud felt no sin burdening her conscience, 
however, but knelt beside the bed, looking like 
a white angel with her beautiful pale-gold hair 
rippling over her shoulders. Nelly’s lip curled as 
she watched her, and turning her face to the wall 
she moved as far away from her companion as 
she could, nursing the rage in her heart. 

But Nelly could not sleep, for when darkness 
fell on the pretty chamber conscience awoke. It 
was wrong to feel such burning hate towards 
Maud. She must forgive her, but how could she 
when Maud had been so mean — had actually lied? 
Nelly looked upon a lie with unspeakable con- 
tempt, and felt that after what Maud had done 
she could never respect her again. 

But Nelly had been so well brought up that 
she could not cherish her bitter feelings without 
great uneasiness. Christ had said to forgive until 
seventy times seven, and had told his disciples 
to pray for those who despitefully used them. 
Could she pray for Maud ? 

Poor Nelly turned and twisted long after Maud 
was peacefully sleeping. Once she slipped out 
of bed, and, drawing aside the curtains, looked 
out on the clear, starlight night. How beautiful 
and peaceful it was ! Looking up into the pure 


90 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


depths of the sky she could not cherish anger ; 
as she hoped to be forgiven she must forgive. 
Kneeling by the window she crossed her arms 
upon the ledge, and, bowing her head upon them, 
prayed : then she crept back into bed and fell 
asleep. 

But the next morning it was very hard to put 
into practice what she had felt in the night. 
Maud was so complacent, going about her toilet 
humming a little tune, and utterly ignoring 
Nelly’s presence. 

“ I won ’t be mad with her,” thought Nelly. 
“ I will make up, though^ if she would only say 
she was sorry, it would be so much easier.” 

But there was no hope of Maud’s doing that ; 
Nelly must make all the advances. 

“ Maud,” said she slowly, “ I said more than I 
ought to last night. Of course I did n’t mean 
what I said.” 

“ Of course you said more than you ought to,” 
Maud replied. “ I was in the right, and you were 
very unladylike.” 

“I’m sorry,” Nelly began, but the words 
seemed to choke her ; it was so hard to forgive 
Maud when she would not own she had done any- 
thing wrong. 


WHA T MA UD DID 9 1 

“You might have seen,” Maud continued, 
“ that I was trying to please you. There was no 
need of your flying into a rage.” 

“ Let us say no more about it,” said Nelly, 
turning to the mirror ; her refuge of the evening 
before. “ Is it possible,” she thought, looking 
into the reflection of her honest brown eyes, 
“ that Maud does not know that she liedf Has n’t 
the girl any conscience at all ? ” 


CHAPTER VII 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 

T he events of that evening wrought discord 
between the three girls and nothing went 
right next day. Though Nelly did not doubt 
Violet’s sincerity, she could not help feeling that 
she and Maud would enjoy themselves better 
alone, and almost wished she had not accepted 
her friend’s invitation. 

They worked over their tableaux all the morn- 
ing, but Nelly could not help feeling left out in 
the cold. Maud was to have all the prettiest 
parts. She must be the bride because she was so 
pretty, and the angel because her hair was so 
lovely ; Nelly could have all the funny, ridicu- 
lous parts, but Maud was the one to wear the 
white slippers and the wedding-veil. 

Mrs. Arlington did not suspect the trouble, 
and George, entirely ignorant of any deception 
practised the night before, had gone off early in 

the morning on the back of his favorite horse. 

92 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 


93 


Mail time brought some letters to Maud and 
Violet in which Nelly had no share, so, leaving 
them alone, she went into the library, and, curl- 
ing up in a large chair, looked disconsolately out 
on the fields so brown and bare, and the hills 
clad in the hardy green of the fir and spruce. 

“ Hallo ! ” said Mr. Arlington, entering the 
room and taking a cigar from the case on the 
chimney-piece. “Homesick, Nelly?” 

“ No, sir,” she replied, looking up with a little 
smile. 

“ You are looking rather blue,” he replied, 
striking a match. “Where are Violet and the 
other girl ? ” 

They are up-stairs.” 

“And you are left down here alone. You look 
as though you wanted cheering up. I am going 
to drive down to the quarry. Would you like to 
go with me ? It is a bright, clear day ; a trifle 
cold, but you won’t mind that.” 

“Had you just as soon take me as not?” 
asked Nelly, her face brightening immediately. 

“ Why, of course I had,” replied Mr. Arlington ; 
“ if you care anything about going?” 

“ I would just love to,” declared Nelly, jump- 
ing up in delight. 


94 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Then bundle up and come along.” 

Nelly needed no other bidding, and hurrying 
into her wraps, ran out to where her host was 
waiting beside a light wagon to which was fast- 
ened a coal-black horse with one white forefoot. 

Nelly often looked back on that ride as one of 
the pleasantest things about her visit. Mr. Ar- 
lington made no attempt to entertain her, but 
smoked his cigar in silence, until they reached 
the quarry, when her eager questions pleased 
him so much that he took her all over the works, 
explaining everything to a most interested 
listener. 

“ You are a real little business woman,” said he, 
tucking her into the wagon for the drive home, 
“ and know more about the works now than 
Violet does.” 

“ I like to know how things are made,” she re- 
plied, “ and mean to go through all the factories 
I can.” 

“That is right,” said Mr. Arlington approv- 
ingly. “ It is a pity you are not a boy. You 
would soon have a place in the world and be able 
to take care of your mother.” 

“ I mean to do that anyway,” said Nelly de- 
cidedly, “ if I am nothing but a girl.” 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN. 


95 


‘ “ I believe you will,” said the gentleman heart- 

ily, “ but I wish you were a boy, so that I could 
give you a place on the works.” 

“ I 'm sorry you can’t,” said she merrily, “ but 
I ’m just as grateful as though I could go to work 
in the quarry.” 

When they were nearly home George overtook 
them, and reining up his horse, who pranced and 
arched his neck under his driver’s restraining hand, 
demanded : 

“ Where in time have you been with father, 
Nelly?” 

“ Where it would be well if you went occasion- 
ally, young man,” replied Mr. Arlington. 

“ Has he been dragging you over the quarry, 
Nell ? ” asked the boy in surprise. 

“ He hasn’t been dragging me by any means,” 
returned Nelly. “He very kindly showed me all 
over the works, and I am very grateful to him for 
taking me there.” 

“You have made father your friend for life,” 
said George, “ if you have let him take you over 
the quarry. He worships that granite.” 

“ It would be more to your credit, young man,” 
said his father, “ if you took some interest in that 
granite.” 


96 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“I should think you would,” said Nelly, “for 
you are a boy and can do something there. Mr. 
Arlington says he would give me a place there if 
I were a boy. I wish I was.” 

“ He is nothing but a weathercock,” said Mr. 
Arlington, looking proudly at his handsome son 
for all he spoke so disapprovingly. “ When I was 
his age I was making my own living, but he 
never earned a dollar in his life. He has no 
more idea of what his future career will be 
than he had when he was four years old, nor 
half so much, for then he declared he was going 
to keep a candy store, but now he has no idea 
of doing anything.” 

“ I ’m not going to stand fire any longer,” de- 
clared George. “No more lectures for the 
present ; I ’m off. Good-bye,” and, saucily touch- 
ing his cap, he gave the word to his horse and 
was soon lost to sight over the brow of the hill. 

When Nelly got home she found him receiving 
a lecture from the girls. 

“What did you go away for! ” said Maud with 
a pretty frown. “ We wanted you to practise in 
our tableaux.” 

“You must n’t expect me to toast over the fire 
all day,” he returned. “ I must cool my brain this 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 


97 

vacation, for it is fevered from too close applica- 
tion to study.” 

“Where in the world have you been, Nelly?” 
asked Violet. “ We hunted for you everywhere.” 

“ Your father asked me to go down to the 
quarry with him,” she replied, “ so I went and 
had a lovely time. I did not know you wanted 
me for anything.” 

“ Down to the quarry ? ” repeated Violet. 
“ What a funny girl you are, Nell, to enjoy poking 
round those old granite works ! ” 

“That is just like Mr. Arlington,” said his wife, 
who sat by the open firewith a novel in her hand. 
“He drags everybody down to that quarry that 
he can get to go. You ought not to have taken 
Nelly to the quarry this cold day, Henry.” 

“ The ride did her good,” replied her husband. 
“ Just look at her cheeks ; they are the healthiest 
looking pair in the room. If you would go out 
and get up a glow like that it would be better for 
you than sitting over the fire all day.” 

“ It makes me shiver to think of riding in this 
cold country,” said Mrs. Arlington ; “ you have 
brought in so much cold air the room feels chilly. 
Is the register open, George ? ” 

“ Yes, and a perfect blast of heat is coming up,” 


98 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


said George, from the front parlor, where he was 
gracefully festooned astride a chair. 

We must make the most of George while he 
is here,” said Maud, “ so come into the library 
while we tell you where you are to stand for the 
Bride of Lammermoor.” 

“Am I to be the bride?” he asked. “How 
sweet I ’ll look in my white veil ! ” 

“How foolish you are!” pouted Maud; “of 
course you are to be the bridegroom.” 

“ Then who is to be the bride ? ” he demanded. 
“ Guess! ” said she coquettishly. 

“You, of course,” he replied frankly, “because 
you are the prettiest. Vi would look like a squaw 
dressed up in all that toggery. Tableaux are 
rubbish anyway. Why not have a scene from 
the Bartender’s Daughter ? That is a beautiful, 
refined play. You will never know what you 
missed by not going last night, Nell.” 

“You can’t expect Nell to care anything 
about it,” said Maud. “ I wonder that she con- 
siders it right to take part in a tableau.” 

“You need n’t say that, Maud,” spoke up Violet. 
“You know Nell would have gone last night if 
it had n’t been for us.” • 

“ Why, how did we hinder her ? ” asked George, 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 


99 


who was completely in the dark as to the real 
facts of the case. “ She wanted to go home.” 

“ No, she didn’t,” Violet began, but Nelly laid 
her fingers on her lips, saying : 

We are not going to talk about that any 
more. Let us go into the library and tell George 
how he is to stand in the tableaux.” 

But George’s suspicions were aroused, and 
though Nelly would not allow anything said on 
the subject he got Violet alone and made her 
tell him the whole story. He said little, but 
was profoundly thoughtful for him, and after his 
sister left him he stood by the window whistling 
and drumming on the pane for the space of five 
minutes. 

The next day active preparations for Thanks- 
giving commenced. The house was all opened ; 
blinds were thrown back in rooms long unused, 
and fires were kindled way up in the third story, 
for a large party of relatives was expected on 
the afternoon train. 

About three o’clock George came along with a 
large flag in his arms. 

Come up into the cupola, Nell,” said he, 
“ and help me fling this to the breeze.” 

Nelly immediately threw down her book and 


lOO 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


followed George up two flights of stairs, to the 
narrow passageway which led to a trap-door in 
the roof. A gust of wind met them as they 
emerged into the little room, and George opened 
the window to seize the rope dangling from the 
flagstaff. 

“ Do you see the carriage on the way to the 
station, Nell ? ” he asked. 

“ Is that where we were the other night when 
you said we had just fifteen minutes to reach 
home ? ” Nelly asked in reply. 

“Yes, that is a fifteen minutes’ run with a 
load,’’ George replied. “ Want to help pull this 
up, Nell ? Three cheers for the red, white and 
blue ! ” 

Nelly took hold of the rope and together they 
pulled up the flag to where it caught the breeze 
and floated out over the roof of the castle. 

“ Is n’t it lovely here ! ” said Nelly, looking out 
of the window, while the wind ruffled her hair 
which she had arranged so carefully for company. 
“ I should think you would just love your home, 
George.” 

“ See here, Nell,” said he, securely fastening 
the rope which held the flag, “ have you had a 
good time here ? ” 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 


lOI 


Just perfectly splendid,” she replied warmly. 
“ Why, how could I help it ? ” 

“ It was awfully mean about the other night,” 
said George frankly. “ I made Vi tell me all about 
it. I hope you do n’t think I had a hand in it ? ” 

“ I did at first,” Nelly replied, “ and it made 
me feel awfully to think that you and Vi should 
treat me so, but I know now that you were not 
to blame.” 

“Were n’t you up and down mad, Nell?” 
asked the boy. “ If a fellow should treat me that 
way I should tell him what I thought, in pretty 
plain language.” 

“ I was mad at first,” Nelly confessed. “ I 
could have said and done almost anything. I 
can ’t think of it now in a calm and even frame of 
mind,” she added with a laugh. 

“ Well,” said George, drawing a long breath, 
“ a fellow can ’t say much, but he can keep up a 
dreadful thinking.” 

“ I can ’t imagine why she wanted to get rid of 
me,” said Nelly in a puzzled tone. 

“ Why, you see,” said George confidentially, 
“ Maud does n’t like too many girls in the party 
when she goes anywhere. She would rather Violet 
had n’t invited you here at all.” 


102 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ I do n’t see how I interfere with her pleasure, ’ 
said Nelly scornfully. “ I have n’t tried to get 
rid of her company at any time.” 

“ It sounds terribly conceited,” said George, 
“ and I would n’t say it to any one but you, but 
Maud is awfully proud of the fact that she is inti- 
mate with us, and puts on no end of airs, Vi says, 
because we asked her to come here. She did n’t 
want you to go to the play the other night be- 
cause she is sort of jealous, and is afraid we will 
pay you more attention than we do her.” 

Nelly made no answer to this speech except to 
slightly curl her lip. 

“ I knew you would look that way,” declared 
George, “ but it is the truth all the same.” 

“ I should n’t believe any one could be so 
foolish,” said Nelly scornfully. 

“ Do n’t repeat what I ’ve said, Nell,” said 
George anxiously, “ for I would n’t have any one 
know that I even thought it.” 

“ Of course I won’t,” Nelly declared. “ We 
won’t say any more about it.” 

“ Perhaps we ’d better go down,” said George, 
“ for it is cold up here ; your nose is as red as 
a cherry.” 

“ Is it ? ” said Nelly, rubbing that organ. ‘‘ I 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 


103 


suppose if Maud had come up here her nose 
would have remained as white as a lily.” 

“ Risk her letting her nose get red,” said 
George. “ She thinks too much of her looks for 
that.” 

There, George Arlington ! ” said Nelly, paus- 
ing on the narrow stairs. “ Who was it gave me a 
lecture for talking about girls behind their backs ? ” 
“ We will drop the subject now,” replied 
George. “ Let us talk about politics.” 

“ Why, Nelly, you are nearly fr.ozen,” said Mrs. 
Arlington, as they entered the back parlor. 
“ Come here to the fire and get warm. You 
ought 'not to have kept her up there so long, 
George. She will get cold, and then what will 
Mrs. Jackson say to us ? ” 

“ You are as blue as an indigo bag, Nelly,” said 
Maud, congratulating herself that she was looking 
her prettiest for the expected guests. 

I must have the appearance of a tattooed 
savage,” said Nelly. “ George just told me that 
my nose was as red as a cherry.” 

“ Did George tell you that ? ” asked Maud in a 
tone of satisfaction. 

‘‘Yes; so I must present a charming appear- 
ance — red and blue.” 


104 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ The fire will soon remedy those defects, 
Nelly,” said Mrs. Arlington pleasantly. “ It was 
not very polite in George. I ’m afraid he thinks 
you are as much his sister as Violet. I hope you 
have n’t taken cold staying up there so long.” 

“ No, indeed. I don’t get cold easily, and am 
as warm as toast now,” and Nelly nestled down 
on an ottoman between Mrs. Arlington’s chair 
and the fireplace. 

The lady looked down on her with a smile as 
she softly stroked the wavy brown hair, for she 
had taken a fancy to the warm-hearted young 
girl, who she knew greatly admired herself. 

Nelly dreaded the arrival of the guests, and 
wished they were not coming, they were so cosey 
as they were, all gathered before the fire ; she on 
an ottoman beside Mrs. Arlington ’s chair, George 
stretched out on the soft rug at their feet, and 
Violet and Maud in one large easy-chair on the 
other side of the fireplace. Mr. Arlington soon 
joined them, and, leaning on the back of his wife’s 
chair, played with the soft coils of her hair, pulling 
out and putting back the shell hairpins, until she 
begged of him not to disarrange her hair when 
company was expected. 

The sound of wheels broke up the pleasant 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 


lOS 

group, and Nelly drew shyly back into the corner 
as they all went out to welcome the newcomers, 
for she was a little afraid of the handsomely 
dressed strangers. 

What a lot of them there were ! Nelly felt 
bewildered as the Arlingtons introduced uncles, 
aunts and cousins, who kindly shook hands with 
the young stranger and then forgot all about her, 
as they talked eagerly about their journey, com- 
mented on each other’s health and appearance, 
and gayly recalled past merrymakings. 

The house was full of bustle and noise, and 
Nelly in the corner of the sofa looked on un- 
noticed, but not forgotten, for when the late 
dinner was announced Mr. Arlington beckoned to 
her, and giving her a seat by his side, made her 
feel safe beneath his wing. 

Nelly enjoyed the dinner as she listened and 
smiled at the merry sallies of the company. She 
soon got so that she understood the relation they 
bore to each other. There was a sister of Mr. 
Arlington’s, a Mrs. Ashton, and her two stylish 
young lady daughters; a sweet-faced maiden 
lady, whom they all called Cousin Anna, a nephew 
of Mr. Arlington’s, a young Mr. Robertson, and 
last, but not least, Mr. Matterson, a fine-looking 


io6 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

old gentleman, with white hair, and very sharp 
eyes which seemed to see everything that went 
on. He was very stately and dignified, and Nelly 
felt sure she should be afraid of him, he asked so 
many queer questions and made such abrupt 
speeches. 

As Mrs. Arlington was an only child, George 
and Violet were the only grandchildren Mr. Matter- 
son had, and George, from the moment of his 
advent, had been declared his heir. As soon as 
he was old enough to understand anything, the 
boy had come to expect a lecture from his grand- 
father whenever they met, for, though he was 
the idol of the old gentleman’s heart, nothing 
he could do ever pleased him. 

Only once during the meal was Nelly called 
upon to make a remark. Looking round the 
table Mr. Matterson happened to spy her, and 
inquired at once : 

“ Who is that you have got alongside of you, 
Henry ? ” 

This is one of Violet’s friends from Exeter,” 
Mr. Arlington replied. “ Her name is Miss 
Nelly Jackson. The children board with her 
mother.” 

From Exeter are you, young lady?” said Mr. 


THE GATHERING OF THE CLAN 


107 

Matterson, fixing his sharp eyes on Nelly’s blush- 
ing face. 

“Yes, sir,” she replied frankly. 

“ George boards with your mother, does he ? ” 
was the next question. 

“ Yes, sir.” 

“ Does he behave himself?” demanded the old 
gentleman. 

“ Oh, yes, indeed,” said Nelly, blushing more 
and more as the eyes of all present were directed 
towards her. 

“ Never gets into scrapes, I suppose,” said Mr. 
Matterson gravely. 

“ Nof very often,” said Nelly hesitating. 

“ Not very often ! ” repeated the old gentleman. 
“That means that he does sometimes. What 
does he do ? ” 

“Oh, nothing very bad,” said Nelly in dis- 
tress. 

“ I ’ll tell you one thing he did, grandpa,” said 
Violet, coming to Nelly’s aid, “ he put a rooster 
into the teacher’s desk the morning after elec- 
tion.” 

“ I hope the teacher punished him well for 
it.” 


“ No, he did n’t, he only laughed.” 


io8 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Is that all ?” said Mr. Matterson in pretended 
disgust. “ In my day a boy who did that would 
have been flogged for it. Now, Miss Nelly Jack- 
son, you must keep your eye on your boarder, and 
if he doesn’t walk straight, just let him know 
that you do n’t approve of it. Do you under- 
stand ? ” 

“Yes, sir,” said Nelly, smiling in spite of her- 
self, and thinking she was going to like that queer 
old gentleman after all. 

“Then see that you do,” and dismissing her 
with a short nod, Mr. Matterson turned his 
attention to some one else. 


CHAPTER VIII 


THE THANKSGIVING PARTY 


W HAT are you going to wear this evening, 
Violet ? ” 

My blue India silk with the white lace.” 
Maud asked this all-important question as she 
stood before the glass arranging her lovely, wavy 
hair^ 

The^girls had gone to their rooms to dress for 
dinner, which was to be at five o’clock. The 
short November twilight was falling fast. Lights 
had been lighted all over the house, for it had been 
a dull, gray day. Just before they went up-stairs, 
Geprge had joyfully announced that it was 
snowing, and they would be able to wind up their 
holidays with a grand sleigh-ride. 

Nelly sat on the floor, lacing up her pretty 
boots, while the other girls chatted about their 
toilets. If only she had a white dress to put on 
how much better she would feel ! How dark 
and plain her winter dress of soft plaid 

109 


no 


THE YOUNG CAFITALfST 


would look, beside Violet’s dark blue India silk 
with its lovely trimmings of lace, and Maud’s 
silk waist which she had spread out on the bed ! 
The ladies had all gone to their rooms to dress, 
and as she had passed the Misses Ashton’s open 
door Nelly had seen one of the young ladies be- 
fore their mirror arrayed in delicate silk of palest 
gray. If only she had a silk dress ! How she 
would look in her heavy plaid when everyone 
else was dressed in light, delicate fabrics ! 

“ What are you going to wear, Nelly?” asked 
Maud, turning from the glass. 

“ My plaid,” said Nelly bluntly ; “ it is all I 
have.” 

“ What a pity ! ” exclaimed Maud. You 
ought to have brought an evening-dress with 
you.” 

“ I would if I had had one to bring,” said 
Nelly, jumping up off the floor. 

^ Perhaps Violet would lend you one,” pro- 
posed Maud. You are about the same size.” 

“ No, thank you,” said Nelly, shortly, ‘T do n’t 
care to borrow other people’s clothes.” 

“You look nice in that plaid dress, Nelly,” 
said Violet, from the adjoining room. “ Mamma 
said Sunday how pretty and becoming it was.” 


THE THANKSGIVING PARTY 


III 


This little compliment made Nelly feel better, 
but the little imp, Envy, had taken up his place 
in her heart, and she sighed as she tied a knot 
of ribbon in her hair and gazed at herself in the 
glass. Her dress looked thick and heavy beside 
the silk and lace the other girls had on, and 
though it was not the season for thin dresses, the 
whole house was so light and warm it seemed 
like fairyland to Nelly. 

Mr. Arlington took great pains with his green- 
house, but it was robbed for the Thanksgiving 
party. Flowers were everywhere, and each guest 
found ^at his or her plate a lovely little nosegay. 
Nelly’s was a bunch of delicate pink oleanders 
which she fastened in her dress, glad to have 
something to light it up. 

Nelly had never attended such a dinner-party 
before. The table was a marvel of beauty in her 
eyes ; the courses bewildered her, and the well- 
trained servants movingly so silently about made 
her think of the genii in her fairy-tales. But it 
did not seem like a Thanksgiving feast, for not a 
single acknowledgment was paid to the Giver of 
all the bounty, nor an expression of thanksgiving 
uttered by any one. 

It lasted two hours, they sat so long sipping 


II2 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


their coffee out of their tiny china cups, and eat- 
ing the fruit brought to our cold shores from the 
sunny southern lands. At last they rose from 
the table, and Mrs. Arlington told the girls to go 
at once to the library and get ready for the 
tableaux. She was just leaving the dining-room 
when a servant beckoned to her. An annoyed 
expression crossed her face, for nothing put her 
out more than a jar in her domestic machinery. 

“ What is it, Maria ? ” she asked with a slight 
frown. 

“ There ’s a poor woman been waiting out in 
the kitchen to see you ever since you sat down to 
dinner,” said the girl rapidly. I told her it was 
no use, that you could n’t see her to-night, but 
she felt so bad I promised to speak to you as 
soon as I could.” 

What does she want ? ” asked Mrs. Arlington, 
in a decidedly impatient tone. 

She wants food and clothes,” replied the girl. 
“ She says they have n’t a mouthful in the house 
to eat, and her husband is very sick.” 

“ Is that all ? ” said the lady. “ Pack up a 
basketful of food and send her home.” 

“ She said she wanted to see you,” and the 
girl looked earnestly at her mistress. 


THE THANKSGIVING PARTY 


“ I can ’t see her now,” said the lady decidedly. 
“ Give her anything she wants and send her 
home, and do not call me for anything of the 
kind again when I have company,” and going 
into the parlor, the train of her handsonie gown 
sweeping over the soft carpet, Mrs. Arlington 
soon forgot all about the message that had come 
to her from the kitchen. 

Maria, the servant girl, had risked a good deal 
by calling her mistress’ attention to an object of 
charity when she was giving a dinner-party ; but 
the warm-hearted girl could not bear to see the 
poor woman crouching by the stove, her calico 
dress, thin shawl, and ragged boots wet with ex- 
posure to the weather, without trying to do what 
she could for her. 

Mrs. Arlington did not know the meaning of 
the word want, and had entirely' forgotten the 
fact that it was snowing out-of-doors. If she 
could have seen the poor woman crouching by 
the stove she might have been moved to pity, 
but as it was she thought she had done her duty 
by ordering Maria to give her whatever she 
wanted and soon forgot her entirely. 

The girls, impatiently awaiting her presence 

in the library, were surrounded by a pile of 
8 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


114 

finery; Maud was being arrayed in her bridal 
robes under Nelly’s hands, who was acting the 
part of dressing-maid, while Violet, with her 
raven hair flying, was lacing her waist into a trim 
bodice. 

Mrs. Arlington entered into the fun with as 
much interest as the girls, and arranging the tall 
screens for a background, draped them with 
lace curtains, then placed two lamps with scarlet 
shades so as to cast a red glow over them with a 
fine effect. The audience was much pleased with 
the pretty wedding-scene disclosed when the 
curtains were drawn back, and called for it again 
and again. 

The tableaux represented titles of books which 
the audience were expected to guess. The next 
was Nelly in an old-fashioned costume, standing, 
knitting in hand, beside a chair. 

“ The Old Fashioned Girl,” announced Miss 
Ashton, as George drew the curtains together again. 

A vigorous clapping of hands caused him to 
open them just in time to disclose Nelly whisk- 
ing behind the screens. 

“ ‘ The Vacant Chair ’ you observe, ladies and 
gentlemen,” he announced amid much laughter 
and clapping of hands. 


THE THANKSGIVING PARTY 


IIS 

Maud had all the prettiest parts. Besides 
being the Bride of Lammermoor, she was the 
Guardian Angel, standing — in a lovely silken robe, 
her pretty hair falling about her, — over George 
stretched out on a table and chair in the very at- 
titude of despair. Violet, with her dark hair and 
eyes, was A Roman Singer, in pretty Italian 
dress, and Ramona in brilliant costume, half 
Mexican, half Indian. 

To Nelly was given the funny parts. She was 
Samantha at the Centennial ; and in a horrid old 
bonnet and shawl, surrounded by boys, bundles 
and bandboxes, went on Their Wedding Journey 
with George. 

“ That girl with the light hair is a beauty,” 
said MV. Walter Robertson to Cousin Anna, “ but 
the dark-eyed one takes my fancy most,” to which 
statement Cousin Anna nodded a smiling assent. 

George transformed himself from The Abbot, 
to A Tramp Abroad, and changed from a bride- 
groom to a despairing wretch, and, at last, sur- 
prised even his mother by coming down-stairs 
in full uniform of navy-blue, sword, cocked hat 
and all. 

Why, George ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Arlington, 
where did you get those things ?” 


ii6 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ I found them in the attic.’' 

But the tableaux are over.” 

“Nevermind, I will do for something. Now 
that I have got on this toggery I want them to 
see me. Announce me as The Warrior Bold. 
Only wait till I manufacture a mustache,” and 
seizing a burnt match he began to touch up his 
features before the glass. 

“You ridiculous fellow!” laughed his mother. 
“ I had forgotten all about that old uniform. 
You do look well in it ; it is a pity they can ’t see 
you. Wait ; I have an idea. Come here, 
Nelly, and put this kerchief round your neck. 
There, it is all you need. Sit down here. It is 
just perfect. Pull back the curtains, Violet.” 

Seating herself at the piano Mrs. Arlington 
began to play The Girl I Left Behind Me, while 
Violet drew back the curtains, announcing that 
it was “ positively the last appearance” of the 
Vincent Crummies. 

The audience had scattered, but at the sound 
of the piano they all gathered again in the front- 
parlor, looking with exclamations of delight at 
the pretty picture. Nelly was seated, her face 
buried in her hands, while George leaned over 
her with lover-like devotion, only marred by a 


THE THANKSGIVING PARTY 


117 


slight caress given to his make-believe mustache 
and a triumphant glance directed to his Cousin 
Walter who was applauding vigorously. 

‘‘A War Time Wooing,” ^ announced Miss 
Ashton. “ Is n’t it pretty ? ” 

“ The best of all,” declared Mr. Matter- 
son. “ Why did you leave it for an after- 
thought?” 

“ That tune makes me feel young again,” said 
Mr. Arlington. 

Maud’s eyes fairly turned green with envy as 
Violet pulled the curtains together. What had 
Nelly done to win such a shower of compliments ? 
Merely tied a soft white kerchief round her neck 
and sat down with her face buried in her hands. 
It was nothing compared to the Bride of Lam- 
mermoor, and yet they were all praising her, 
saying how bright and attractive she was. Maud 
wished there was some way of getting rid of her 
as she had the other night, but she knew it was 
of no use to try. It was a long happy evening 
and when, at last, Nelly laid her head on her 
pillow, she was too excited to sleep but lay smil- 
ing to herself in the dark, as she recalled the events 
of the day. 

After her guests had gone to their rooms Mrs. 


Ii8 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

Arlington suddenly remembered the message 
Maria had given her, and said to her husband : 
“ By the way, Henry, Maria says there was a 
woman here begging to-night, whose husband 
was very sick.” 

“ It must have been Norton’s wife,” Mr. Ar- 
lington replied. ‘‘He has been sick some time and 
not able to work. I hope you sent them some- 
thing.” 

“ I told Maria to pack up a basket of things 
for the poor creature,” replied his wife, “ and 
you can trust her for that, for she would feed 
every tramp and beggar that puts in an appear- 
ance at the side door.” 

“ Norton always was a poor kind of a fellow,” 
continued Mr. Arlington. “ He is sick with the 
asthma half the time, and now it has settled into 
consumption. Of course they have half a dozen 
children and his wife is not good for anything.” 

“ That is always the way,” said Mrs. Arling- 
ton. “ There ought to be a law to prevent such 
creatures from getting married.” 

“They want some comfort,” said Mr. Arlington, 
winding up his watch. “ I suppose Norton loves 
his wife and children as much as I do mine, even 
if he can ’t support them.” 


THE THANKSGIVING PARTY 


I19 

“ I do n’t see how he can,” said the lady in a 
tone of disgust. “ The children seemed to enjoy 
themselves to-night. Dear me, their vacation is 
nearly over ! I cannot stay here after they go 
back to school, it will be so lonesome. How hand- 
some George looked in that uniform. You must 
get Violet a new watch for a Christmas present, 
for she has carried that cheap one ever since she 
was a little girl. She will soon be old enough to 
take into society, and how proud I shall be of 
my pretty daughter! She must finish at a more 
fashionable school than Exeter Academy, Henry.” 

“ Send her anywhere you please,” replied her 
husband. I gave the children up to you long 
ago.” 

In thinking about her own darlings Mrs. Arling- 
ton forgot all about the poor woman who had no 
right to have any — who, at the moment when Mrs. 
Arlington stood before the mirror in her luxurious 
dressing-room, was watching beside her dying 
husband, while the little ones crawled into bed all 
dressed to keep from freezing, for the last bit of 
fuel had burned to a heap of ashes, and the snow 
was piling up outside. 

The next morning the young people were 
jubilant, for everything was covered with a pure, 


120 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


white snow which the sun caused to gleam with 
dazzling brightness. It lay piled up on the dark 
green spruces and evergreens, while the scarlet 
rose-berries peeped shyly out from a nest of white. 
Over all bent the clear, blue sky, while the still, 
cold air set the blood to tingling. 

While the paths were being shoveled the girls 
went out and threw handfuls of soft snow at each 
other, and George and his cousin Walter coming 
from the stable joined in the fun, taking care 
that their snowballs went over the girls’ heads 
while they themselves were pelted unmercifully. 
Jerry, shovel in hand, looked on grinning at the 
fun, enjoying it as much as any of them. 

After breakfast they started on a sleigh-ride, 
George and the three girls in one sleigh, Mr. 
Robertson and the young ladies in another, while 
Mr. Arlington carried Cousin Anna and Mr. Mat- 
terson down to the quarry. Mrs. Arlington and 
her sister-in-law were left alone to chat over their 
fancy-work beside the fire. 

Before they had begun to look for the re- 
turn of the sleighing-party bells were heard, and 
George and the three girls burst into the room 
very much excited. Violet’s eyes were unusually 
bright, and Nelly was very pale. 


THE THANKSGIVING PARTY 


I2I 


“ O mamma ! ” O Mrs. Arlington ! ” they ex- 
claimed breathlessly. 

“ Oh, it was dreadful ! ” 

And we did n’t know. We must do some- 
thing right away.” 

To think we were so happy and those little 
children were freezing ! ” 

“ And their father was dying, and they were all 
alone.” 

“ What are you children talking about ? ” asked 
Mrs. Ashton, taking off her eyeglasses to survey 
the girls. 

“ It was the man who worked in the quarry and 
wheezed so,” said Violet. “ He died last night, 
mamma, apd it is so dreadful to think we did n’t 
know and were dancing. It makes me feel like 
the wicked rich man in the Bible,” and the ex- 
cited girl burst into tears. 

There, darling, you could not help it,” said 
Mrs. Arlington, drawing her daughter down into 
her lap. “You should not take your sister to 
such places, George.” 

“ We could n’t help it, mamma,” said the boy, 
soberly, “ When we rode by, the oldest girl came 
out and hailed us. She said her father was dead 
and they had n’t a stick of wood in the house.” 


122 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“Think of it, mamma,” said Violet. “If I 
had known it last night I think my dinner would 
have choked me.” 

“ I hope you did n’t go in,” said Mrs. Arling- 
ton anxiously. “You are so easily excited, and 
such scenes affect you so.” 

“Yes, they did,” said George. “Violet and 
Nelly staid there while we went after father and 
Cousin Anna.” 

“ O Nelly ! O Violet ! ” exclaimed Mrs. Arling- 
ton. “ What a scene for you two children ! 
You ought not to have left them, George.” 

“ I could n’t get Nelly away,” said the boy, 
“ and Violet would n’t leave her.” 

“The little children were nearly frozen,” said 
Nelly, “and so was the poor woman, though she 
was so dazed she did n’t know it.” 

“ What did your father do ? ” asked Mrs. Ar- 
lington. 

“ He ordered a load of wood sent there at 
once,” replied George. “ You ought to have 
seen how the men jumped to the work. Cou- 
sin Anna went back with me, and when the 
wood came made a cup of tea with her own 
hands.” 

“ Nelly and I could n’t do anything but rub 


THE THANKSGIVING TATTY 


123 


the children’s hands .and feet and promise them 
everything we could think of,” said Violet. “ I 
thought George would never come.” 

“ When Cousin Anna and I went in,” said 
George, “we found Nell and Vi each with a 
baby in her arms, crying over them like every- 
thing. They had taken off their cloaks and 
wrapped the two oldest children up in them.” 

“O girls!” said Mrs. Arlington anxiously; 
“ I ’m afraid you took cold.” 

“ I thought of that,” said Maud. “ It was so 
cold I did n’t dare stay. There was n’t anything 
I could do either.” 

“ Those children had staid there all night,” 
said Violet ‘indignantly. “ I guess we won’t die 
from staying there half an hour.” 

“ They took exercise enough trotting the 
babies to prevent taking cold,” said George, 
whose spirits were reviving. 

“You need n’t say anything,” retorted Violet. 
“ I saw you winking your eyes to keep back the 
tears.” 

“ Cold always makes my eyes water,” said he 
calmly. 

“Is Cousin Anna there now?” asked Mrs. 
Arlington. 


124 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“Yes,” replied Violet, “and I have got a list 
of things she wants sent down.” 

“ Very well, I will get them, and George can 
take them down befpre dinner ; ” and, rising, Mrs. 
Arlington left the room, reflecting that if she 
had known it was fuel the woman wanted the 
night before she would have sent some down, so 
she did not see that she was at all to blame for 
the condition in which her son and daughter had 
found the suffering family. 


CHAPTER IX 


BESETTING SINS 

O OON the vacation visit, Thanksgiving party, 
and all the events of the ten days were but 
memories, for the holidays were over and the 
young people were in the midst of their winter’s 
work. 

Early in the term Miss Emerson had promised 
to get up a play to be exhibited on Washing- 
ton’s birthday, and Mr. Alden gave them one 
evening a week for rehearsals, which were gala- 
nights for those who were fortunate enough to 
be selected as actors. 

George, who was an especial favorite of Miss 
Emerson’s, was chosen for hero, while Maud, 
because she was the prettiest girl in the school, 
was selected for heroine. Frank, who possessed 
a dramatic talent, was given the part of villain, 
while Nelly, because she could talk Irish and act 
a funny part to perfection, was the servant-girl, 
and Violet was her fine-lady mistress. Joe Allen 

125 


126 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


was a bashful country youth, and Mary was hon- 
ored with the part of George’s mother. 

“ Do n’t you allow visitors at the rehearsals? ” 
asked Mrs. Jackson, as the young people were 
preparing to go to the academy hall one evening. 
She thought Effie and Jessie watched the others 
rather wistfully, and was sorry to have them left 
out of the fun. 

“ No, indeed,” said Nelly, tugging on her over- 
shoes. “Why, Mother Jackson, these rehearsals 
are shrouded in mystery. No one is to know a 
thing about this play till the last night, when we 
are to burst upon the public in a blaze of glory.” 

“ Oh, the whole school does n’t know that I 
am George’s mother,” said Mary, “ and are not 
the whole time calling after me : ‘ My dear boy, 
kneel and receive your mother’s blessing ’ ! ” 

“ I think Maud would prefer being George’s 
mother,” said Nelly, “ for he won’t make love 
worth a cent. It is so ridiculous to see them 
addressing tender speeches to each other away 
across the stage.” 

“ George says he is waiting till the last night,” 
said Violet, “ and then he is going to do it all 
right.” 

“ I do n’t believe he will,” declared Nelly. “ He 


BESETTING SINS 


127 


will get behind a chair and act just as he does 
now. George does look so foolish.” 

What is that about George ? ” demanded 
that young man, appearing in the doorway, 
buttoned up to the chin. 

Never mind,” replied Mary, “ little boys 
can ’t expect to hear everything that is said about 
them.” 

“ Since you have been my mother you have 
grown ten years older,” retorted George. “You 
won’t need to be made up the last night ; you ’ll 
do, just as you are.” 

“ I feel too old for such nonsense any way,” 
Mary declared. “ I ought to stay at home and 
study this' evening instead of going to the re- 
hearsal.” 

“ I should think it would be fun,” said Effie. 
“ I wish I could go.” 

“ I do n’t see why you can ’t,” said Mrs. Jack- 
son ; “ it is a school affair.” 

“ I ’d let you go,” said Mary, “ but I ’m afraid 
Miss Emerson would n’t like it. 

“ Mary had two little Lambs, 

Their fleece was white as snow, 

And everywhere that Mary went, 

Ihe Lambs were sure to go. 


128 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


They followed to the play one night, 

Which was against the rule, 

And laughed and laughed to see their friends 
A-playing of the fool. 

And so the teacher turned them out. 

But still they lingered ne — ar, 

And waited patiently about 
Till Mary did appe — ar.” 

All this George chanted through his nose. 

“ I wish we had some other name,” said Jessie 
plaintively. 

“ I would n’t mind him,” said Mary scornfully ; 
“he is not worth it.” 

“ Of course I am not worth minding,” said 
George meekly. “ Are you ready, mother ? 
Will you accept my arm to support your feeble 
steps ? ” 

As the holiday drew near lessons were neglected, 
and the actors ’ minds were full of costumes, 
stage arrangements and rehearsals. 

“ Miss Emerson wants us to have a dress- 
rehearsal this evening,” said Nelly, flying into 
the schoolroom one noon, “ and we are going to 
make Mary up so that you won’t know her.” 

“How are you going to do it?” asked Joe 
Allen. 

“ That is a secret,” replied Nelly ; “ but we are 


BESETTING SINS 


129 


going to give her wrinkles and crows’-feet, and 
have got the loveliest gray wig. She will look 
splendid and old.” 

“Won’t any one recognize her ? ” asked Joe 
curiously. 

“ Not a soul,” declared Nelly. “ No one will 
dream of her being a young girl at all when we 
get her made up, but will think that we have got 
a real, genuine old woman to serve as George’s 
mother ; ” and then she went to her seat without 
a thought of what she had said, until her words 
were brought up accusingly against her. 

She was late to the rehearsal that evening, and 
went at on9:e to the dressing-room to put on her 
costume, which she had brought in a bundle 
under her arm. She was arranging her hair a la 
Bridget when she heard voices on the other side 
of the thin partition which she recognized as 
Joe’s and Mary’s. 

“ I do n’t think I should have any trouble in 
recognizing you,” the former was saying. “ You 
do n’t look quite sixty yet.” 

“Who said I was going to? ” demanded Mary. 

“ Why, Nelly Jackson said they were going to 
make you up so that no one would know you.” 

“ Oh, Nell Jackson ! ” said Mary, in a tone of 

9 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


130 

deep disgust, “ you can ’t tell anything by what 
she says.” 

“Why, Mary!” exclaimed Joe, “you don’t 
mean that Nelly does n’t tell the truth ? ” 

“ She does n’t lie ; do n’t for mercy sake, Joe, 
think I meant that Nelly lies ; she only stretches 
the truth till it is pulled out to such an extent 
you can ’t recognize it.” 

“ I ’m sure she does n ’t mean to stretch things,” 
said Joe, in a troubled voice. 

“ Oh, she thinks it is funny,” Mary continued, 
“and has got so she can ’t make a plain statement. 
She said to-night at the supper-table that Mrs. 
Gibbs’ singing had started the roof off of the 
house so that the kitchen plastering had cracked. 
Of course we all knew she didn’t mean a word of 
it.” 

“ But sometimes you do n’t know that she is 
joking,” said Joe gravely. “ I did n’t this noon, 
and told several people that they would not rec- 
ognize you.” 

“ When you know her as well as I do,” replied 
Mary, “ you will learn not to believe half she 
says.” 

“ I shall remember and not repeat any more of 
her statements,” said Joe, moving away. 


BESETTING SINS 


131 

Poor Nelly! All through this conversation 
she had stood staring into the glass with wide- 
open, frightened eyes. So that was the opinion 
her friends had of her ! They could n’t believe 
half she said ; she, Nelly Jackson, who scorned a 
lie, and despised Maud Farnsworth because she 
had detected her in an untruth. 

At first she was indignant with Mary for 
sp'eaking of her so ; but when her friend went on 
to repeat some of her speeches, and conscientious 
Joe, exact to a hair in all his statements, regret- 
ted that he had repeated something she had said, 
Nelly hung her head with shame. 

The gir]s often laughed at Joe because he was 
so particular about repeating what he heard. He 
never guessed at a thing, or stated it to be 
about” so and so, but was absolutely sure of 
everything he said, and now he was troubled 
because he had repeated a statement of Nelly 
Jackson’s that was not true. 

hope he will say that I lied,” said Nelly 
fiercely to herself. It will do me good to be 
humiliated. What right have I to look down on 
Maud when the girls can ’t believe half I say. 
But indeed, I don’t mean to lie,” tears coming 
into her eyes. “Oh, I wish I had been born 


132 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


dumb ! But that is cowardly. God gave me my 
tongue ; if I dishonor him with it I am both cow- 
ardly and dishonest. Oh, do help me to keep 
the door of my lips, dear Lord.” 

God hears such prayers as that, though they 
are only yearnings of the heart, and not expres- 
sions of the lips. A great man has truly said : 
“ No matter what the attitude of the body may 
be, there are times when the soul is on itsknee5.” 

Ain’t you ready yet, Nell?” asked Violet, 
putting her head in at the door. “ Do hurry, for 
we are waiting for you.” 

I ’m ready now,” said Nelly, turning from the 
glass. 

“ Why, what is the matter?” asked Violet, her 
quick eye detecting something wrong. 

“Nevermind,” said Nelly, checking the word 
“ nothing,” which rose to her lips. “ There is 
something wrong, Vi, but do n ’t ask any ques- 
tions.” 

A night or two after, Nelly threw down her 
book at a little before ten, declaring she must 
have something to eat. 

“ Oh, get some pickles, do, ”said Violet, starting 
up from the sofa where she had been having a 
nap. 


BESETTING SINS 


133 


“ It is your duty to let us have a spread, mam- 
ma,” said Nelly, “ for I have been studying until 
I am actually faint.” 

“ Remember when the dyspepsia comes on 
that I have warned you,” said Mrs. Jackson, as 
her daughter lighted the lamp to go down cellar. 

“Yes, mamma, you have done your duty,” 
Nelly called back gaily. 

The lunch was brought up and spread out on 
the table before the fire, when the street door 
slammed. 

“ There is George,” exclaimed Violet. “ This 
makes the third time he has broken the rules this 
week.” 

“ He slia’n’t have a mouthful of our spread,” 
cried Nelly. “ He does n ’t deserve it, the way 
he goes on,” and, darting to the door, Nelly 
whisked out into the hall, and confronted George 
just coming in. 

“ You can ’t go into the sitting-room,” said she. 
“March right up-stairs. Boys that don’t come 
in till after ten do n’t deserve any treat.” 

“What is going on ? ” demanded George, ad- 
vancing to the door which Nelly guarded. “ I ’d 
like to see you make me go up-stairs before I ’m 
ready.” 


134 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“Why, George Arlington!” exclaimed Nelly, 
snififing the air suspiciously, “you have been 
smoking.” 

“ How do you know?” he demanded. 

“You smell exactly like Griggs’ store,” said 
she disdainfully. 

“ What if I do? ” said he boldly. 

“You have been there smoking,” said Nelly, 
holding her handkerchief before her little nose. 
“ I should think you would be ashamed of your- 
self.” 

“What is there to be ashamed of?” he de- 
manded. “ My father smokes.” 

“ He is not a boy eighteen years old,” returned 
Nelly. 

“ I dare say he did smoke when he was eight- 
een,” George declared ; “ so where is the harm in 
my doing it ? ” 

“ O George, you know you ought not to do 
it!” said Nelly. “What would Mr. Alden say? 
Mamma won’t let you stay here if you go to 
Griggs’ store, for she would n’t let the young men 
that smoke and play cards there come here and 
spend the evening.” 

“Very well,” said George coolly, “if I "m not 
fit to stay here I can go somewhere else,” 


BESETTING SINS 


135 


Now do n’t get mad, George,” coaxed 
Nelly. “You know I 'm talking for your own 
good.” 

“ If I ’m to be lectured for my conduct,” said 
George with dignity, “ I prefer to have your 
mother do it.” 

“You can get mad if you want to,” retorted 
Nelly, “ but if I were you I would be ashamed to 
go to such a place as Griggs’ store and smoke a 
pipe.” 

“Cigars; first quality, if you please, ma’am,” 
said George, mischievously throwing open his 
coat and displaying half a dozen of the superior 
weed in his pocket. 

“ O George ! ” said Nelly in a tone of genuine 
regret. 

It touched the boy more than he was willing 
to own, but, boy like, he was not going to confess 
that the sinking in the esteem of his girl friend 
gave his conscience sundry twinges ; so taking out 
one of the cigars he bit the end off of it, saying 
mischievously : 

“These are first-class. Just wait till I light 
one and you ’ll see.” 

George never forgot the look with which Nelly 
turned away from him, saying: 


136 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

'' If you smoke that in this house I ’ll never 
think the same of you again.” 

“ Hold on, Nelly,” said George, the mischief 
dying out of his face. “ I ’m not going to smoke. 
Had n’t an idea of doing it here. I was only teas- 
ing you for lecturing me ; that ’s all.” 

“ I won’t lecture you any more, George,” said 
she, but I wish you would make me a present of 
those cigars.” 

“ What will you do with them ? ” he asked, — 
“smoke ’em or give ’em to some poor duffer who 
can ’t afford to buy any ? ” 

“ No, I ’ll keep them as a pledge that you won’t 
smoke any more.” 

“ But I have n’t made any such pledge.” 

“ But won’t you?” she coaxed. . “You know 
you ought not to smoke just as well as I do, so 
please give them to me. I ’ll think ever so much 
more of you if you will.” 

“ You do n’t know how the fellows would laugh 
at me,’’ said George confidentially, “ if I gave up 
smoking to please a girl.” 

“What fellows?” demanded Nelly. “Those 
horrid ones that go to Griggs’ store ? ” 

“ Oh, I do n’t care a rush for them,” he declared 
quickly. 


BESETTING SINS 


^37 


“Then whom are you afraid of?” asked Nelly, 
looking up into his face with clear eyes that made 
him color in spite of himself, though he replied 
impatiently : 

“You must n’t expect to be taken into my 
secrets, but I ’m not the only boy in school that 
smokes, you ’ll find.” 

“ I ’d like to know who they are. I know Joe 
Allen doesn’t, nor Tom Parker, nor Ned Strong, 
and I don’t believe that Frank Farnsworth does,” 
but the last name was spoken doubtfully, and 
George made no reply, for just then Violet burst 
open the door, exclaiming: 

“ Do, for pity sake, come in, Nelly Jackson. 
Do you expect me to be heroic enough to leave a 
pickle and a whole piece of pie for you ? What 
are you doing — lecturing George for staying out 
after ten ?” 

George ran up-stairs without making a reply. 
Possibly he did not want the other girls to detect 
the odor Nelly had noticed so quickly. As for 
Nelly, she was so sober when she went back, that 
the other girls demanded to know what George 
had said to her to take away her appetite. 

“ Mamma,” said she when the girls had gone 
up-stairs, “ did you know that George smokes?” 


138 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ I did not know it,” Mrs. Jackson replied, 
“ but I am not surprised.” 

“ He has been to Griggs’ store this evening, 
and showed me his pocket full of cigars. Is n’t it 
dreadful ? ” 

“ I am very sorry,” said Mrs. Jackson. “ I have 
been afraid all winter that George was getting 
into bad company.” 

“ Is n’t there something we can do ? ” asked 
Nelly anxiously. 

“ There is nothing we can do,” replied her 
mother, “ except keep our atmosphere pure and 
good.” 

“I gave him a good scolding when he came, in 
to-night,” declared Nelly, “but he didn’t seem to 
care a bit.” 

“Scolding will do no good, Nelly,” said Mrs. 
Jackson. “ Let him know that you do not approve 
of what he does, but do n’t scold him.” 

“ He deserves a good lecture sometimes,” said 
Nelly, as though she rather enjoyed giving one 
to him. 

“ But George is a boy whom it does no good to 
scold,” said her mother. “ Use your influence to 
make him give up his cigars, but do not scold 
him for smoking ; it will only make him worse.” 


BESETTING SINS 


139 


** Dear me, what a trial that boy is ! ” said 
Nelly, in a tone that made her mother smile 
quietly to herself. 

It is too late to discuss George’s faults any 
longer, daughter,” said she. “You must follow 
the girls’ example and go to bed.” 


CHAPTER X 


GEORGE’S LAST SCRAPE 

^ I ^HE play passed off on Washington’s birth- 
day to every one’s satisfaction, and the 
actors, greatly excited over their success, rashly 
promised to give a play every term for the good 
of the public. 

The rehearsals over, the scholars had no time 
to lose, for they had to plunge at once into the 
examinations — those dreadful examinations on 
which their rank for the term depended. Mrs. 
Jackson began to question if Nelly in her ambi- 
tion was not doing too much, for the constant 
strain made her nervous and cross, and her 
mother fancied she was growing thin and pale. 

Violet took the examinations easily enough. 
She was not fitting herself to teach, and if her 
rank was poor her father would only laugh, and 
say it was all nonsense for a girl to study geome- 
try and Latin, and Mrs. Arlington preferred that 

140 


GEORG WS LAST SCRAPE 


141 

her daughter should be a graceful dancer rather 
than a scholar. 

George also found plenty of idle time, and 
when the familiar whistle was heard in the even- 
ing he would leave the girls gathered round the 
table with their books and join the dark figure 
waiting for him in the street. 

“ Where are you going to-night ? ” George 
asked one evening as usual. 

“ I say, Arlington,” said Frank in a confiden- 
tial tone, “ want some fun ? ” 

“ Of course,” replied George. I ’m always 
on hand if there is any fun going on. What is 
in the wind now ? ” 

“ Come on down street and I ’ll tell you,” re- 
plied Frank. “ I have thought of something to 
wake up this sleepy old town.” 

George’s eyes began to twinkle. There is noth- 
ing a strong, healthy boy likes so much as an 
excitement. If things go smoothly for a couple 
of months ; if nobody’s house catches fire or 
horse runs away, he is stagnated, and feels the 
necessity of doing something to make a stir. 

The first year he was at Exeter George was the 
ringleader in raising a false alarm of fire, which 
caused quite a panic in the hall where a lecture 


142 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


was being given, and now, as Frank unfolded 
his plan in a low tone, as they walked down 
street together, he assented without a thought 
beyond what fun it would be. 

George never considered consequences until it 
was too late td repair the mischief. 

“ Girls,” said Mrs. Jackson as the clock struck 
nine, “you have studied long enough ; do put up 
your books.” 

“Yes, mamma, in a minute,” said Nelly, paus- 
ing with her pencil suspended over her paper. 

“ A minute means half an hour,” said Violet 
impatiently. “ I ’m going to make you stop by 
singing that song you want to learn,” and, seiz- 
ing the banjo which had been one of her Christ- 
mas presents, Violet began to twang the strings 
vigorously. 

“ Do stop, for mercy’s sake, Vi,” said Mary im- 
patiently. “ How do you expect us to think 
with that noise going on ? ” 

“ I do n’t want you to think,” retorted Violet. 
“ If you and Nell do n’t stop thinking you will 
have softening of the brain. Learned people 
always have some frivolous person round to 
amuse them when their great minds become 
fevered from too much thought, so you and Nell 


GEORGE'S LAST SCRAPE 


143 


can let your humble servant serve you in that 
capacity.” 

Mary stuffed her fingers in her ears as she bent 
over her books, but Nelly forgot her studies in 
the fascination of the banjo which she was learn- 
ing to play under Violet’s instruction. 

“ How does it go ?’ she asked, watching Vio- 
let’s fingers. 

“ Notice which frets I use,” replied Violet 

Watch close and you will be able to do it.” 

Nelly perched herself on the arm of Violet’s 
chair to take this unscientific music-lesson, and 
the two heads, the black and the brown, were bent 
close together, when a bell, sounding startlingly 
loud and clear in the still evening airy began to 
ring furiously. 

“ Oh, my goodness me ! ” cried Nelly. “ What 
is that bell ringing for at this time of night ? ” 

“ There is a fire somewhere,” exclaimed Vio- 
let, her eyes shining with excitement. 

“ O mamma ! ” cried Nelly, “do you suppose 
this house is on fire ? Mrs. Gibbs will keep the 
matches close to the cook-stove.” 

“ The house could hardly be on fire so as to 
raise an alarm without our knowing it,” said Mrs. 
Jackson, calmly, “and, as there is no fire in the 


144 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


stove, Mrs. Gibbs* matches can hardly do any 
mischief to-night.” 

Let us go outdoors,” said Violet excitedly, 
“ perhaps we can see it.” 

“ Put something over you, girls,” said Mrs. 
Jackson, and hastily catching up some wraps 
they ran eagerly to the door. 

The streets were full of people running in one 
direction, while all the bells rang at once, and 
the one fire-engine clanged furiously* as they 
hurried it along to the scene of the excitement. 

Dear me ! ” said Nelly, “there has n’t been 
such an excitement since Cleveland was elected.” 

“ See how light it is over there,” said Violet. 
“ What do you suppose is burning ? ” 

“ Some of those men might stop long enough 
to tell us,” said Mary. “ We are unprotected 
females and they ought to take pity on our help- 
less condition.” 

“ I wish I was a boy and could seize the water- 
pail and run down street shouting ‘ Fire ! ’ ” 
said Nelly, fairly dancing with excitement and 
cold. 

“ Won’t you please tell us where the fire is ? ” 
asked Mary, as one dark figure passed more 
leisurely than the rest. 


GEORGE^S LAST SCRAPE 


145 


** It ’s the fern-factory,” he replied. “ Might as 
well let it go ; 't ain’t worth saving.” 

“ Come up here, girls,” called Mrs. Jackson 
from the interior. “ We can get a fine view of 
the fire from the attic windows.” 

The girls obeyed, and, trooping up the narrow 
stairs, gathered round the window, from which 
they could see the great blaze leaping into the sky. 

Ten years before, a stranger had come to 
Exeter and told the people that they possessed 
untold wealth growing wild upon their hills, in 
the shape of sweet-fern, which could be converted 
into an extract which was in great demand for 
tanning leather. Exeter had not done anything 
in the way of business for years, the people liv- 
ing on their incomes, but they thought it would 
be a good thing to turn the sweet-fern, which 
grew in such abundance, into a good selling com- 
modity, and also give employment to the young 
men who were leaving the town as soon as they 
were old enough to engage in business elsewhere. 
So they put their money into the stranger’s en- 
terprise, built a factory, and made up a lot of the 
extract, but instead of meeting with a large de- 
mand as the stranger had promised, the dismayed 

owners found they had a useless article on their 
10 


146 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

hands which they could not even give away. 
For ten years the building had stood idle and 
useless, and now it was in a blaze and would 
soon be reduced to ashes. 

“Isn’t it glorious?” said Nelly. “I can en- 
joy it because I know no one’s house is burning 
down ; I like a little excitement when it does no 
harm.” 

“ That reminds me of the time you cried be- 
cause I would not let you go to a fire,” laughed 
her mother, “ and you wished our house would 
burn, so that you could see it.” 

“How do you suppose it caught fire?” said 
Mary. 

“I can’t imagine,” replied Mrs. Jackson, “un- 
less some one was in there smoking, and I should 
think it was too cold for that.” 

“ I remember when I was a little girl,” said 
Nelly, “ they used to scare me into fits by telling 
me there was a tramp staying there. I would n’t 
go by there after dark.” 

“ Oh, see ! ” cried Violet. “ How it is blaz- 
ing up.” 

“ It has caught in a new place,” said Mrs. 
Jackson. “The roof will fall in soon.” 

“ Pity they did n’t think to set it afire when 


GEORGE^S LAST SCRAPE 


147 


Cleveland was elected,” said Nelly, “it would 
have made such a show.” 

“ Why they would n’t dare to,” said Mary. 
“ It is property, if it is worthless.” 

“ They might as well burn it up,” said Nelly, 
“ it is n’t doing any good.” 

“ I wonder if some one did set it afire ? ” said 
Effie Lamb. 

“ Oh, no,” said Mrs. Jackson. “ I do n’t think 
any one would dare do that.” 

“ They would take them up for destroying the 
building : that is all there is left of it now, for 
the machinery has all been taken out.” 

if 

“ I do n’t know what object one could have for 
setting it on fire,” said Mrs. Jackson. “If any 
one did it, it would be for mischief, and I do n’t 
think any one would quite dare do that. See, 
girls, the roof has fallen in.” 

A splendid blaze mounted up into the sky, 
causing the watchers to hold their breath for a 
moment, the spectacle was so awful and grand ; 
then slowly it settled down into a steady blaze, 
eating up all that was left of the factory which 
had once been the hope of the village. 

“ We had better go down now, girls,” said 
Mrs. Jackson. “You will get cold, I ’m afraid.” 


148 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ I wonder where George is?” said Violet, as 
they gathered round the fire in the south room. 

He is at the fire, of course,” said Nelly, and 
won’t leave until the last spark is out. I wish I 
was a boy and could go to fires, run after street- 
parades, attend political rallies and all the other 
nice exciting things.” 

“ It is too bad you are not,” laughed Violet, 
“ for then you could accept papa’s offer. Did 
you know. Mother Jackson, that papa said that 
if Nell was a boy he would give her a place in 
the granite works?” 

“ He was very kind,” said Mrs. Jackson, smil- 
ing at her daughter curled up on the rug before 
the fire, “ but I would n’t have my girl a boy if I 
could.” 

Oh, think what I could do! ” said Nelly. “ Mr. 
Arlington would give me a place on the works, 
and some day I would be agent or something, 
and build a little cottage for you, where we 
would live in luxury. Then Violet would fall 
desperately in love with me, and her father would 
say : ‘ I will give you my daughter, Orlando, (I 
think mamma would have called me Orlando if I 
had been a boy) as a token of the esteem with 
which I regard you.’ ” 


GEORGE'S LAST SCRAPE 


149 


‘‘You talk as though I did all the falling in 
love,” pouted Violet, “ and told papa I wanted 
to marry you.” 

“ Oh, no,” said Nelly, “ if I was a boy you 
would be the girl I should choose, but I would n’t 
dare propose, but would win your heart by my 
silent devotion. Do n’t you wish I was a boy, 
Vi?” 

“No,” declared Violet. “I would much rather 
you would stay a girl.” 

“Well, I suppose I shall have to,” sighed 
Nelly. “ Never mind, I will show the world I 
can do something.” 

“ The thing for you to do now is go to bed,” 
said Mrs. Jackson ; “ it is very late.” 

“ Can ’t we sit up till George comes, to hear 
about the fire?” pleaded Nelly. 

“No,” said Mrs. Jackson. “George will be 
late. You must go now or you won’t be ready 
to get up to-morrow morning when the clock 
strikes six.” 

“ It is so hard to get up at six o’clock in the 
morning. I move we make a change and get up 
at six o’clock at night,” said Nelly, putting her 
arms round her knees as she still sat on the rug 
before the fire. 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


ISO 

“Come, Nelly,” said Mrs. Jackson, and this 
time the girl knew she must obey. 

Before they went to their rooms the girls 
climbed up into the attic to look once more at 
the fire which was dying down. While they 
were there they heard the street door slam. 

“There is George,” cried Nelly. “Let us 
hear what he says.” 

The girls followed her down the two flights of 
stairs and back into the south room where George 
had gone to get warm. 

“ O George,” Nelly exclaimed, “ have you 
been to the fire ? ” 

“ Oh, no,” he replied, “ Frank and I were so 
busy studying we did n’t know anything about it.” 

“ What a story ! ” pouted Violet. “ Of course 
you were there. How did it get on fire? Was 
it set ? ” 

“ Deacon Brown set it on fire to get the insur- 
ance,” said George coolly. 

“You ought to be ashamed to tell such stories, 
George Arlington,” said Nelly severely. “ We 
happen to know enough not to believe them, for 
they can ’t get such buildings as that insured.” 

“ Did they try to put it out,” asked Violet, 
“ or just let it burn ? ” 


GEORGE'S LAST SCRAPE 


“ They got out the engine and played on the 
other buildings so that they wouldn’t catch,” 
George replied. “ It was a jolly little excitement. 
You ought to have seen Deacon Brown and the 
other owners standing round with their hands in 
their pockets scowling at the fire. When we came 
racing along with the fire engine, Deacon Brown 
said : ‘ Let it burn, boys ; let it burn if it wants to, 

that is all it’s good for!’ I have n’t had such fun 
since I ’ve been in Exeter. What did you girls 
do when you heard the alarm ? ” 

“Vi and I were practising on the banjo,” said 
Nelly, “ and when the bell rang I jumped nearly 
to the ceiling. Honestly, I think I did jump 
nearly a^ foot,” she added gravely, trying to 
estimate the exact extent of the excited start 
she had given. 

“ 1 thought you would leave off studying for 
a while,” said George with a chuckle. “ Did 
Mary stop long enough to look at it ?” 

“ We were all through studying,” said Nelly. 
“ Whoever set it was kind enough to wait until we 
had time to watch it. Why, George Arlington, 
you are all wet ! Look, mamma, he is beginning 
to steam,” and she pointed to George’s clothes 
which the fire was drying off. 


52 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Where have you been, George ? ” asked Mrs. 
Jackson in surprise. 

“ Did you get afire and have -to be put out ? ” 
demanded his sister. 

“ I went into the river to help pump the en- 
gine, that ’s all,” said he indifferently. 

“This cold night!” exclaimed Mrs. Jackson. 
“ You must get your wet clothes off at once. 
And, girls, look at that clock! You must go to 
bed.” 

“Never mind,” said Nelly easily, “we do n’t 
have a fire every night. Can ’t we make George 
some ginger tea ? Vi can hold him while I pour 
it down.” 

“ I do n’t need any help in doctoring George,” 
said Mrs. Jackson smiling. “Go up-stairs or I 
shall have to treat you the way I used to when 
you were a little girl ; punish you for not mind- 
ing.” 

“ We are going,” said Nelly, vanishing at this 
threat. “ Good-night, mamma.” i 

The next morning at school the fire was the 
principal topic of conversation. It had been so 
long since anything of an exciting nature had taken 
place in Exeter that the young people thought 
it an event of great importance. 


GEORGE'S LAST SCRAPE 


153 


“ Only think,” said Maud impressively, “ papa 
thinks some one set it on fire on purpose.” 

“What did they do it for? ” Nelly demanded. 

“ Mischief,” Maud replied. “ Papa says there 
are a lot of lawless boys in town, and he hopes 
that if they find out who set the fire they will 
make an example of them.” 

“ How will they do that ? ” asked Violet. 

“ Put them in jail, I suppose,” said Maud, as 
the bell rang and the scholars went to their seats. 

After prayers Mr. Alden, instead of calling 
for the usual recitations, stood behind his desk 
looking gravely down into the young faces be- 
fore him. It was evident that the school was 
going to/get a lecture, but that was nothing un- 
usual, and the scholars thought nothing of it as 
Mr. Alden began to say with what respect and 
esteem he regarded his pupils, and how it grieved 
him to learn that any of his school were undeserv- 
ing the feeling he had for them. 

The scholars accused Mr. Alden of liking the 
sound of his own round periods so well that he 
talked twice as much as was necessary, but this 
morning he acted as though he dreaded coming 
to the point of what he had to say, and put it off 
as long as he could, running his eyes over the 


154 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


faces before him as if searching for some excuse 
for not speaking about the matter at all. 

Nelly took a piece of paper out of her desk, 
and, with her ever-ready pencil, began to draw 
her teacher’s outline. She was not interested in 
what Mr. Alden had to say : some of the scholars 
had been breaking the rules too freely, she sup- 
posed. The chemistry class had been rather 
hilarious lately while trying their experiments up 
in the laboratory, and unlucky Ned Strong, who, 
like Tomrny Traddles, was always getting into 
scrapes, had sent a snowball through the read- 
ing-room window the day before. Either of these 
might be the subject of Mr. Alden’s lecture ; he 
would get to it in time. 

Nelly was only half listening when a word 
arrested her pencil. What was he saying about 
the factory? Some of the students of Exeter 
Academy accused of setting it on fire ? Why, it 
was too absurd to be true. Mr. Aldeh did not 
want to believe it, in fact, he said he should not 
believe it unless he was obliged to, for he con- 
sidered his scholars gentlemen, and surely no 
gentleman would be guilty of such an act. 

When Mr. Alden finished speaking the school 
was so still a pin could have been heard falling 


GEORGE'S LAST SCRAPE 


155 


to the floor. The scholars exchanged surprised 
glances, but a breathless excitement kept them still. 

“ This is a grave offense with which you are 
charged, gentlemen,” Mr. Alden continued, “ and 
if it is proved that any of you are guilty of it I 
shall feel that it merits the very highest punish- 
ment this school ever decrees ; but I hope you 
will be proved innocent. For myself I do not 
yet believe it, but I wish you to understand that 
I put you on your honor, and to prove that you 
are not in any way guilty of what occurred last 
night, I will ask any one who knows anything 
about the fire to rise.” 

No one stirred, and the silence was deeper 
than evbr. The boys were all more or less ex- 
cited. Joe Allen’s face was so flushed and 
troubled that a stranger might have thought him 
the guilty one; but Joe’s character was too well 
known in Exeter for any one to have any suspi- 
cions of his having anything to do with the fire. 
George sat half turned round in his seat, one 
arm hanging over the back, so that no one could 
see his face. Frank Farnsworth ran his eye in a 
critical way over the boys’ faces as if searching 
for a guilty one, then looked up to Mr. Alden as 
much as to say : 


156 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ What do you think of this, sir? It looks very 
mysterious to me/’ 

“You must remember, boys,” said Mr. Alden 
gravely, “ that this affair will not be hushed up. 
Several had their suspicions aroused last night, 
and they will search this to the bottom. If the 
guilty one proves to be in this school, and keeps 
his seat after the question I have just asked he 
will be proved to be a coward and liar as well as 
an incendiary.” 

The words were hardly out of Mr. Alden’s 
rpouth before George Arlington sprang to his 
feet and throwing up his head looked defiantly 
at his teacher. An electric shock went through 
the school at the boy’s action, and the scholars 
looked eagerly from George to Mr. Alden. The 
latter could not speak at first, and for a moment 
teacher and pupil faced each other in silence. 

“ Well, Arlington,” said Mr. Alden at length, 
“ have you anything to tell us about the fire ? ” 

“Yes, sir,” said the boy without flinching. “I 
planned the whole thing.” 

“ Who helped you ? ” asked Mr. Alden. 

“ That I ’m not obliged to say,” replied 
George. “ I ’ll tell you all I did if you want to 
know.” 



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GEORGE'S LAST SCRAPE 


157 


You are right,” said Mr. Alden, after a 
slight pause. “ I do not ask you to betray any 
one else. I will see you after school. You may 
take your seat.” 

George obeyed, and Mr. Alden tapped the bell 
for the first recitation, but the scholars were too 
excited to study. Mr. Alden also apeared pre- 
occupied, and the morning seemed to drag out 
twice its usual length to both teachers and 
pupils. 


CHAPTER XI 


SUDDEN CHANGES 

M amma ! mamma ! Where are you ? ” 

Nelly threw her books down in the hall, 
and rushed through the dining-room into the 
kitchen where Mrs. Jackson was peeling potatoes 
for dinner. 

“ Oh, mamma ! ” she cried breathlessly, “ what 
do they do to incendiaries ? ” 

“What are you talking about, Nelly?” asked 
Mrs. Jackson, looking at her daughter’s flushed 
face in surprise. 

“What do they do with incendiaries?” re- 
peated Nelly, “ Will they put any one in jail for 
setting the fern factory on fire ? ” 

“ I do n’t know, I ’m sure,” replied Mrs. Jack- 
son. “ They do n’t know yet that it was set on 
fire.” 

“ Yes, they do,” said Nelly. “ George confessed 
before the whole school this morning. Oh, it 
was dreadful ! But it was just splendid in him.” 

158 


SUDDEN CHANGES 


159 


You do n’t know what you are talking about, 
Nelly,” said her mother gravely. “ Do tell me 
plainly, if you can, what you mean. Did George 
have anything to do with setting the factory on 
fire ? ” 

“Yes, he did,” said Nelly, and in a few words 
set before her mother all that had occurred in 
school that morning. 

Mrs. Jackson looked very grave, and Mrs. 
Gibbs, who was frying meat over the stove, 
broke out indignantly : 

“ It ’s no more than you can expect from that 
young scamp of an Arlington. I ain ’t an atom sur- 
prised. Mankind are just alike ; always bringing 
disgrace on themselves and their women-folks.” 

“ Will they send him to jail, mamma ! ” asked 
Nelly anxiously. “ Maud’s father said that if 
they found out who did it they would make an 
example of them.” 

“ I hope they won ’t be so hard on George as 
that,” said Mrs. Jackson ; “but he does deserves 
some punishment.” 

“Jail is too good for him,” declared Mrs. 
Gibbs, but she applied the corner of her apron 
to her eye as she opened the oven-door to in- 
spect the boy’s favorite pudding. 


i6o 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Is n’t it awful ? ” said Nelly, turning pale. “I 
knew he would do something dreadful when I 
saw those cigars in his pocket.” 

“ This may teach him a lesson, Nelly,” said 
Mrs. Jackson. “Take off your things nowand 
go and set the table.” 

It did not seem to Nelly as though things 
ought to go on just the same when George was 
in such disgrace and trouble, but the girls came 
in hungry and as eager for dinner as usual, and 
she had to perform all her regular duties, in 
spite of the cloud that hung over the house- 
hold. 

George did not make his appearance, and 
Violet reported that he was closeted with Mr. 
Alden. She was more angry than troubled over 
her brother’s disgrace. George ought to know 
better than do such things, she declared. Her 
father would give him a terrible lecture, and her 
grandfather would threaten all sorts of things : 
but Mrs. Jackson thought George needed some- 
thing besides threats and lectures. If the good 
in the boy’s nature did not prevail, she did not 
know what would become of him, and trembled 
as she thought of his future. It was well for 
George that he had Mrs. Jackson’s prayers at 


SUDDEN CHANGES l6i 

that time of his life, for his own mother did not 
send up one petition for her boy. 

George did not come home until two o’clock, 
and then he went directly to his own room. 

Mrs. Jackson hardly knew what to do, but her 
motherly heart reminded her that he had had no 
dinner. He must be fed, so going down-stairs 
she found Mrs. Gibbs, who was blacking the stove 
as if attacking a mortal enemy. On the table 
was a tray with a tempting meal spread upon 
it. 

“ I took that up to that young scamp of an 
Arlington,"” said she, rattling the stove-covers 
vindictively, “ but he would n’t let me in. He 
do n’t deserve a mouthful, but he ’s paying four 
dollars a week for his board and expects his 
meals regular.” 

Mrs. Jackson smiled, but made no comment, 
thinking that repentance and fasting might be 
good for the prodigal. 

About three o’clock there came a knock at Mrs. 
Jackson's door and George came in, bearing but 
little resemblance to the repentant prodigal, and 
looking as though he was determined not to show 
feeling of any kind. 

“ Mr. Alden has expelled me,” said he briefly. 

II 


i 62 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ I am going home to-morrow. How much do I 
owe you ? ” 

‘‘ My dear boy, I 'm so sorry,” said Mrs. Jack- 
son, laying her hand on his arm and looking 
earnestly in his face. 

“ It is no more than I deserve,” said George, 
throwing up his head defiantly. “ If I was n’t 
my father’s son they would march me off to jail, 
I suppose ; but they respect him, so I ’m only 
requested to leave. I ’m not fit to go to school 
any longer; I ’ll corrupt the innocent young 
lambs there with my evil influence.” 

“George,” said Mrs. Jackson gravely, “how 
long are you going to let this go on ? ” 

“ What do you mean ? ” 

. “ How long are you going to let evil have 
the upper hand of you ? When are you going 
to begin to overcome these temptations, instead 
of letting them overcome you ? ” 

“ I do try to behave myself,” said the boy 
soberly. “ I make no end of resolutions, but I 
can ’t keep them for the life of me.” 

“ Because you try in your own strength,” said 
Mrs. Jackson quickly. “Keep on making resolu- 
tions, but ask God to help you keep them.” 

“ I can ’t do it,” the boy replied. “ I can ’t 


SUDDEN CHANGES 163 

seem to get hold of the right sort of feeling. 
You ’ll have to let me go, Mother Jackson. I ’m 
bound to go wrong.” 

“Don’t say that, George,” said Mrs. Jackson 
gravely. “No one is bound to go wrong. It is 
a duty you owe yourself and God to go right. I 
wish you would promise me to try, not in your 
own strength, but with God’s help, to do better.” 

“ I can ’t,” George replied. “ I have broken 
too many resolutions to promise anything.” 

“What will you do when you go away from 
here?” asked Mrs. Jackson, anxiously. 

“ I do a’t know,” George replied gloomily. 
“ Like- as not, father will set me to work in the 
quarry. He will think that is all I am good for, 
since I can ’t keep straight at school.” 

“ It is no disgrace to work with your hands. 
If your father puts you in the quarry, work for 
him faithfully and well, and he will soon come to 
respect you.” 

George listened soberly, for, though he would 
not have owned it to a soul, he dreaded going 
home and facing his father after his disgrace. 
He felt it keenly, and nothing would have 
tempted him to face his schoolmates, so he 
spent the afternoon packing, trying to whistle 


i 64 the young capitalist 

indifferently whenever any one passed his door. 
He even refused to go down to supper, for he 
could not bring himself to meet the girls, who 
came home greatly excited over the affair. 
Violet was especially indignant. 

“ Mr. Alden had no right to expel him for such 
a harmless bit of fun,” said she. “The old factory 
was n ’t good for anything, anyway.” 

“ Mr. Alden said it wasn ’t that alone,” Mary 
replied ; “ but his continual breaking of the rules 
and the company he keeps. You know that he 
smokes and plays cards at Griggs’ store.” 

“What if he does?” Violet retorted. “Papa 
says all boys have to sow their wild oats. I 
won’t go to their horrid old academy another day ; 
I ’ll go home with George to-morrow,” and, true to 
her resolve, Violet began to pack up her things at 
once. 

Nelly was very much cast down by these 
events. It was dreadful to have George and 
Violet leave them in this way, and not come back ; 
for Violet declared Exeter Academy would see 
her no more. She was going to New York to 
school. And George ! what would become of him ? 
To be expelled was the deepest disgrace these 
young people thought could befall any one, and 


SUDDEN CHANGES 


165 

Nelly felt it as keenly as though George were 
her brother as well as Violet’s, and wished that 
she too could go away and not enter Exeter Acad- 
emy again. 

It was all very well to shut himself up in his 
room and refuse all intercourse with the world, 
but George found that in spite of his tragic posi- 
tion he was hungry, and about half-past seven he 
took his lamp and stealing down the back stairs, 
paid a visit to the cellar. 

He was just coming up into the kitchen with 
a piece of mince pie and a generous supply of 
doughnuts when he encountered Nelly at the 
sink filling a glass with water. He threw back 
his head expecting a scornful address from the 
young woman, but instead she asked sympathet- 
ically : 

“ Oh, George, why did n ’t you come down to 
supper? ” 

“ I did n ’t have much appetite then,” he re- 
plied, “ but a fellow can ’t starve if he is ex- 
pelled.” 

“ Oh, George, was n ’t it dreadful ! ” said Nelly, 
tragically. “ Do sit down by the stove and eat 
something, it will make you feel better.” 

The disgraced hero found Nelly’s tone very 


i66 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


comforting, and sitting down in Mrs. Gibbs’ old 
rocking-chair, he found his interest in life reviv- 
ing as he took generous mouthfuls of mince 
pie. 

“ I expected you to blow me sky-high,” said 
he, “ after what I have done.” 

“It was horrid of you, George,” said Nelly 
soberly. “ What ever made you do it ? ” 

“ I thought' it would be fun,” he confessed. 
“You see, Nell, I never stop to think of 
consequences, till the day after the circus. If 
I had dreamed of Mr. Alden’s coming down 
on me like a thousand of bricks, you bet I 
would n’t have touched a match to the thing.” 

“How did they find you out?” asked Nelly 
curiously. 

“ Oh, they saw me. I did n’t think of borrow- 
ing some one else’s hat and coat, and rigging up 
so that no one would know me.” 

“ So the others were disguised,” said Nelly with 
curling lip. 

“ They did n’t get caught,” said George. 
“ I ’m always the unlucky one. I suppose it is 
my fate to get caught in every scrape I get into,” 
and George took a philosophical bite out of his 
third doughnut. 


SUDDEN CHANGES 


67 


“ I do n’t think it right for them to go free 
and you have to bear all the blame,” said Nelly 
indignantly. 

“ Some fellows are always lucky ; I wish I was 
one of that kind.” 

“ I do n’t know,” said Nelly ; “ I think I like 
you better for owning up.” 

‘‘I say, Nell,” said George, brightening, “you 
are a frump. I expected you ’d be down on me ; 
did n’t know as you 'd speak to me again.” 

“ I am down on you, George,” said Nelly se- 
verely. “ It was a dreadful thing to do, and you 
ought to be ashamed of yourself.” 

“ Well, I am,” said George shortly. “ What 
do you suppose I went without my supper for?” 

“ O George ! ” said Nelly in despair, “ I knew 
you would do something bad when I saw those 
cigars in your pocket. It is all because you went 
to Griggs’ store and got into such bad company ; 
Mr. Alden said so.” 

“ Lots he knows about the company I keep,” 
muttered George. 

“ But if you had n’t yielded to the first tempta- 
tions,” Nelly persisted, “you might have resisted 
this one of setting the mill on fire.” 

George made no reply, but ate his last dough- 


i68 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

nut in silence, then, opening his coat, took half a 
dozen cigars out of his breast pocket, and handed 
them to Nelly, saying gravely: 

“ Want those for a parting keepsake, Nell ? ” 

“ O George, do you really mean that you won’t 
smoke any more?” 

“ I won’t make any promises,” said he gravely, 
“ for my word is not good for much, but I do 
mean to try and turn over a new leaf. Keep the 
cigars. It will help me to refuse to smoke if 
I know you have them.” 

“ I will keep them always,” said Nelly eagerly. 
‘ You could n’t give me anything that would 
please me more.” 

George went back up-stairs refreshed in his 
inner man, and a good deal comforted in spirit 
by the thought that Nelly did not despise him 
for being expelled. 

As he entered his room Violet met him at the 
door and nearly smothered him by throwing both 
arms round his neck, exclaiming: “You poor, 
dear boy ! it is just as mean as it can be the way 
you have been treated. I won’t go to that horrid 
old Exeter Academy another day. I ’m going 
home with you to-morrow.” 

George was both touched and comforted by his 


SUDDEN CHANGES 169 

sister’s devotion, but of course it was beneath his 
manly dignity to say so, so he only patted her 
on the back, telling her to be a good girl and not 
make a fuss, but he felt a good deal better know- 
ing that Violet was going home too. His mother, 
like Violet, would think he was abused ; his father 
would scold him first, and forgive him afterwards, 
and then away from Exeter, where every one 
knew of his disgrace, new prospects would open 
before him, and this would soon be forgotten ; so 
when he bade them good-bye in the morning he 
was in almost as good spirits as usual. But the 
lesson he had learned was not forgotten, but had 
a more lasting effect than if he had left Exeter 
Academy with all the honors of a successful grad- 
uation. 

The house seemed empty and silent without 
George and Violet, and Nelly looked forward 
with dread to the vacation when the others would 
leave and she would be left alone. Mary was not 
coming back, and next term the house would 
be filled with newcomers, whom Nelly was sure 
could never fill the places of the old scholars. 

Of course Violet and Nelly had exchanged 
vows of eternal friendship, and promised to ex- 
change letters every week. At first the letters 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


170 

came regularly, but Violet was not much of a 
correspondent ; her letters never told half of what 
Nelly wanted to know, and when she began to 
get ready for her new fashionable school in New 
York, her letters ceased altogether ; so before 
six months passed the Arlingtons had dropped 
entirely out of Nelly’s life. The last she and her 
mother heard of them Violet was in New York 
with her mother, and George was about to enter 
college. Mrs. Arlington would not allow her 
husband to set George at work in the quarry as 
he had threatened, and Mrs. Jackson often won- 
dered how the boy met the temptations of his 
new life, and in all the years which followed never 
forgot him. 

A few evenings after the Arlingtons went away 
Joe Allen called at the Jackson house. Nelly 
received him, for Mary and the Lamb girls were 
out, and Mrs. Jackson was up-stairs. 

It was very hard to entertain Joe, for he was 
very bashful and not a fluent talker. He crossed 
and recrossed his legs ; fidgeted in his chair, and 
did not know what to do with his hands and 
arms. 

Nelly racked her brain for subjects of conversa- 
tion, but when the weather, the examinations, the 


SUDDEN CHANGES 


171 

Christian Endeavor Society, and the new scholars 
likely to come the next term were exhausted, 
Nelly could not think of a single remark to make 
next. The more she reflected the blanker her 
mind became, until Joe came to her aid by start- 
ing a new topic, all on his own responsibility. 

“ If a fellow knows something about another 
fellow that ought to be told, has he any right to 
hold his tongue ? ” 

“Why, Joe Allen! What do you mean?” 
asked Nelly in surprise. 

“ I have been in a puzzle all the week,” said 
Joe, nervQusly recrossing his legs. “ I know some- 
thing, but I do n’t know whether I ought to tell 
it or not.” 

“Why, Joe, what is it?” cried Nelly, her curi- 
osity fairly aroused. 

“ I know something that would get another fel- 
low into a scrape,” said Joe, slowly, “and I do n’t 
know whether I ought to shield him or not.” 

“Oh, Joe, do tell me all about it,” pleaded 
Nelly, for slow, quiet, exact Joe almost drove 
quick, impulsive Nelly wild. 

“ I thought I would speak to you and see what 
you thought about it.” 

“Yes, what is it? ” said Nelly breathlessly. 


172 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Frank Farnsworth was the ringleader in set- 
ting the factory afire, and coaxed George into it. 
In fact he is as much to blame as George for all 
the scrapes. He furnished the horse to carry the 
seats down to the Salvation Army barracks, last 
term. He took George to Griggs’ store, and 
taught him to smoke.” 

“And George never said one word!” ex- 
claimed Nelly. 

“ No, and Frank is so sly no one ever suspects 
him. George is right out-and-out in what he 
does.” 

“That is what he meant,” said Nelly suddenly. 
“ He told me that some of the boys were dis- 
guised at the fire so they weren’t recognized.” 

‘‘ Yes,” said Joe, “ Frank had a complete dis- 
guise that he slipped into, but George did n’t 
think of that ; he did n’t half try to hide.” 

“ I do n’t see why he shielded Frank,” said 
Nelly indignantly. “ I would n’t have, but then, 
boys are always more loyal to each other than 
girls.” 

“Frank wasn’t loyal,” declared Joe. “He 
told on George. He was afraid he might be sus- 
pected, so shifted all the blame onto George.” 

“ The mean, hateful thing 1 ” cried Nelly. “ I 


SUDDEN CHANGES 


173 


hope you are not going to shield him any longer. 
I’ll tell if you don’t.” 

“ I hate to tell,” said Joe. “A fellow feels so 
mean turning informer.” 

“ I’ll tell if you do n’t,” Nelly declared. 

“ It won’t do to have a girl mixed up in it,” 
said Joe decidedly. “ I own I hate to see Frank 
holding up his head when he ought to be hang- 
ing it with shame.” 

O Joe! you must tell,” said Nelly eagerly. 
“Wait; I ’m going to see what mamma says,” and 
flying up-stairs Nelly burst in on her mother, who 
was quietly looking over the clothes from the wash. 

“ Mamma,” cried Nelly, “ do come down-stairs 
and overcome Joe Allen’s ridiculous, nonsensical, 
conscientious scruples.” 

“Why Nelly, what do you mean?” said Mrs. 
Jackson, who could not get used to Nelly’s jump- 
ing into the midst of things. 

“Do come down-stairs and hear what Joe 
says,” said Nelly, seizing her mother by the arm. 
“ He won ’t tell till he is convinced he ought to, 
and you must convince him.” 

Knowing it was useless to expect Nelly to ex- 
plain anything when she was excited Mrs. Jack- 
son followed her down into the south room. 


174 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Good evening, Joe,” said she. “ Nelly has 
dragged me down here to settle some question. 
What is it ? ” 

“ Now tell her, Joe,” ordered Nelly ; “she will 
know what is right better than you and I.” 

Joe repeated his story, to which Mrs. Jackson 
listened in silence. She was not surprised, for 
she had long suspected that Frank exerted an 
evil influence over George. She did not tell the 
young people so, however, but when Joe finished 
said decidedly : 

“ Disagreeable as it is, Joe, I think you ought 
to tell Mr. Alden ; for, instead of being dishonor- 
able to tell, it is .wrong to shield Frank when 
he deserves punishment. You may do Frank a 
favor, for it will do the boy more harm to prac- 
tice deceit than to be openly punished.” 

“I thought of that,” said Joe soberly. “I 
suppose it would really.” 

“Then you’ll tell, won’t you, Joe?” said 
Nelly eagerly, as she stood by her mother’s chair. 

“Yes, I will,” said Joe, buttoning up his coat 
with an air of resolution. 

Neither Nelly nor her mother thought of asking 
Joe for proofs of his statements. His word was 
enough for every one who knew him, for he 


SUDDEN CHANGES 


m 

never brought charges against any one unless he 
was absolutely sure of the facts. 

In a few days another scholar was expelled 
from Exeter Academy on account of very grave 
charges which were brought against him, and this 
caused a greater excitement than when George 
Arlington set the fern factory on fire. 

Every one was ready to believe anything about 
George, but when Frank Farnsworth was expelled 
the town rang with indignation, for he was such 
a good boy, so regular in his attendance at 
church and Sunday-school, many believed the 
stories to be lies maliciously told about him. 
Frank, himself, put on an air of injured inno- 
cence, was' more virtuous than ever, so that the 
older people declared it to be a shame to tell lies 
about such a good boy as Frank Farnsworth. 

He left town very shortly to pursue his studies 
elsewhere, and as he entered a medical school a 
few years after, his native town saw but little of 
him. 

Joe’s name did not appear in the affair, but 
Frank knew who had told on him, as he expressed 
it, and cherished a spite against him forever after; 
never quite giving up the idea of some day being 
able to pay him off for what he had done. 


CHAPTER XII 


MR. WINTERBOURN’S BOARDER 

D edham had come to understand the 
meaning of hard times. It had been a 
flourishing manufacturing town, but the factories 
had suddenly been shut down, for the simple 
reason that they were not making anything, and 
hence the company could not afford to keep them 
running. 

Hundreds of people were turned out of em- 
ployment, and benevolent men and women 
anxiously asked each other what would become 
of them without work ; for want brings on crime, 
and it was a dangerous thing for the community — 
these desperate men and women left without any 
means of maintenance. But the company did 
not trouble themselves about that ; they could 
not be expected to run a lot of mills that paid 
them nothing. 

The winter following the closing of the mills 
1/6 


M/^. WINTERBOURNES BOARDER 


177 


was a dark one in Dedham. It was usually a 
gay, lively place, but the hard times affected even 
the pleasures, and the young people complained 
that there was nothing going on, nor any fun to 
be had. Merchants trembled for their business, 
for there was no money, and every one who could 
moved away, like rats leaving a doomed ship ; 
for unless business came up Dedham would be a 
wreck. 

Business did come up. The next fall the mills 
commenced operations once more. Dedham felt 
like ringing its bells and ordering out its cannon 
when it heard the hum of machinery, and the 
piercing whistle once more told busy housewives 
that it was twelve o’clock, and the men would 
soon be home to dinner. 

The mills had changed owners; that was all 
the people knew, though various rumors floated 
about that were believed by some and denied by 
others ; but it was a glorious fact that the mills 
were running ; the hands were employed at the 
good wages of the old days. There were no 
more miserable cut-downs, no more screwing 
men and women down to get as much work out 
of them as possible for the least amount of 

money. 

iz 


178 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

If any one knew the real owner of the mills it 
was Mr. Winterbourn, the general superintend- 
ent, who rubbed his hands with delight as he 
went through the busy rooms filled with the whir 
and buzz of machinery. But Mr. Winterbourn 
kept his own counsel and betrayed no one’s 
confidence. 

As soon as the mills resumed operations a 
number of people moved into town, not only 
men and women who wanted work, but people 
who were attracted to the place as a town that 
was coming up. A new doctor came, and 
hung his shingle almost opposite the office of old 
Dr. Thornton who had looked after the ailments 
of the people of Dedham for the last thirty 
years. He immediately began to make himself 
popular. This was no very difficult task, for he 
was a handsome young man with a very winning 
manner which took with the old ladies, who told 
him their woes, fully assured that he would make 
them all over new. 

Another change was in the faculty of the high- 
school. The citizens were very proud of this 
institution, and always pointed out the handsome 
brick building to strangers as one of the objects 
of interest in the town. The new principal and 


MR. WINTERBOURN'S BOARDER 


179 


his assistant came very highly recommended 
from their different institutions of learning. The 
principal was a young man who bore the several 
letters affixed to his name with becoming 
modesty, and the young lady assistant was 
supposed to be mistress of several languages, 
and have the popular accomplishments of music 
and drawing at her finger-ends. 

If one wanted to know what was going on in 
town they had only to go to the house of Miss 
Augusta Stone, who followed dressmaking for 
her living. Miss Augusta scorned gossip, and 
would not be guilty of such a vice ; she only re- 
peated what she heard, and, of course, she heard 
a great deal, for every one patronized her, from 
Mrs. Eugene Buckman, the acknowledged leader 
of society, to the girls who worked in the mills. 
If there is a time in a woman’s life when she is 
confidential it is when she is having a dress 
made, so Miss Augusta was made acquainted with 
several items of interest concerning her custom- 
ers, and, if she repeated them, what harm was 
there done ? 

Miss Stone owned a large square house on 
Main Street, but occupied only the rooms on one 
side of the hall. The one facing the street was 


i8o 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


fitted up very handsomely for a reception-room, 
with an imitation tapestry carpet, plush chairs, and 
a brilliant picture or two in large gilt frames which 
she kept covered with mosquito-netting to pro- 
tect them from the dust and flies. Behind this 
was the sewing-room, off of which was her bed- 
room, and in the ell was a tiny kitchen where she 
prepared her solitary meals. 

One afternoon Miss Sibyl Winterbourn put on 
her most stylish street suit, and walked down to 
Miss Stone’s to have her heliotrope ladies’-cloth 
fitted. Miss Sibyl was a handsome young lady 
with dark hair and eyes, and a brilliant coloring 
which she set off with a most appropriate ward- 
robe. 

Miss Augusta was ready to keep her engage- 
ment, and was soon down on her knees, hanging 
the straight plain skirt, while Miss Sibyl surveyed 
her graceful figure in the long mirror with ex- 
treme satisfaction. 

“ I hear you are going to have a tenant in the 
other half of your house,” said Miss Sibyl, raising 
her left arm slightly so as to obtain a better view 
of her skirt. 

“ Yes,” said Miss Stone, removing several pins 
from her mouth, “ the new high-school assistant 


MR. WINTERBOURNES BOARDER i8i 

wants to keep house, and I thought I might as 
well let her have the rooms. I never use ’em, and 
if they bring me in something so much the better.” 

“ Is she going to live alone? ” asked Miss Sibyl. 

“ No, she expects her mother and wants every- 
thing ready when she gets here. There, how 
do you like that ? Does it hang all right ?” and 
Miss Augusta rose to observe the effect as 
Sibyl walked slowly up and down before the 
glass. * 

“ Do n’t you think it hitches up a trifle on the 
left side and is too full in front ? ” asked the 
young lady. 

Miss Winterbourn was very hard to suit, but 
as she was a good customer Miss Augusta went 
obediently down on her knees again and began 
to remedy the imaginary defects. 

“ Has she moved in yet ? ” asked Sibyl, refer- 
ring to the former subject of conversation. 

“ Oh, dear, no,” Miss Augusta replied ; “ but she 
is here every day after school, putting up pictures 
and things, and yesterday she had a woman put- 
ting down carpets.” 

“There, that is better,” said Sibyl, surveying 
Miss Augusta’s work approvingly. “ When can 
I have this ? ” 


i 82 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ I can ’t get it done before the last of next 
week possibly,” said Miss Augusta impressively. 

“ Oh dear ! ” said the young lady impatiently. 
“ I want it for the concert. I have an invitation, 
and have set my heart on having this dress to 
wear.” 

“ What night is the concert ? ” asked Miss 
Stone thoughtfully. 

“ Thursday.” 

“ Well, perhaps I can get it^done by that time. 
I expect another girl to sew for me next week.” 

“ Do try your best,” said Sibyl, “for I sha’ n’t 
enjoy it half so much if I do n’t have this dress.” 

“ I will have it done,” promised Miss Stone. 
“ Who cut that waist for you, Sibyl ? ” 

“ That new dressmaker, Mina Edwards.” 

“ It is a wretched fit,” said Miss Augusta, sur- 
veying the pretty silk waist with great disfavor. 

“I know it,” the young lady replied, “ but I 
was in a great hurry for it, for I wanted it to wear 
to the agricultural fair. You were so busy you 
could n’t do it, Mrs. Danton had work engaged 
ahead, so I took it to Miss Edwards.” 

“ She has just spoiled it,” Miss Augusta de- 
clared. “ It is too large in the neck, and the 
sleeves are not gathered in right at all.” 


WINTERBOURNES BOARDER 183 

“ I only wear it under my coat,” said Sibyl, 
who had n’t noticed these glaring defects until 
Miss Augusta pointed them out to her,“ and shall be 
sure and not employ her again. Remember, I shall 
expect my dress in time for Thursday evening.” 

Miss Augusta solemnly renewed her vows, and 
she and her customer parted on the best of terms. 

Mr. Winterbourn was a widower. Ten years 
before, when his wife died, his oldest sister had 
come to console him for his loss, and had remained 
ever since to keep house for him, for, as the 
good lady repeatedly asserted, Sibyl was good for 
nothing in that line. She could play the piano 
and sing Italian songs, but as for getting a dinner 
or making a loaf of bread she was no more good 
than a child of six. 

A few days before Mr. Winterbourn had told 
his sister and daughter that he expected an ad- 
dition to the family in the person of a young man 
who was coming to the mills to fill the position 
of timekeeper. Sibyl did not know what to 
make of this, for they had never taken a boarder 
before, and this evening she followed her father 
to the library where he went after supper to have 
a smoke. Sibyl drew a chair up to the fire op- 
posite her father, saying ; 


184 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ What possessed you to bring that young time- 
keeper here to board?” 

“ Be careful how you look down on that time- 
keeper,” replied Mr. Winterbourn. “ I have a 
reason for bringing him here, as you ought to 
know. I want you to treat him in your very best 
style, and make as much of him as you do of that 
young quack of a doctor.” 

“Why, what do you mean?” asked Sibyl in 
surprise. 

“ Can you keep a secret, Sibyl ? ” asked her 
father. 

“You ought to know that I am enough like 
you to be able to do that,” she replied, becoming 
more and more interested as her curiosity was 
roused. 

“Yes, you are my own daughter for that,” 
said Mr. Winterbourn, with a chuckle. “ But, 
mind, if I tell you this secret you are not to give 
a hint of it to a soul.” 

“You can trust me,” said Sibyl proudly. “I 
can keep a secret if I am a woman.” 

“ I believe you can,” replied her father, “ and 
I am going to tell you this one. This time- 
keeper who is coming here to board is the man 
who bought up the company.” 


M/^. WINTERBOURNES BOARDER 185 

Why, father, what do you mean ? ” exclaimed 
Sibyl. 

“ You know the company failed,” began Mr. 
Winterbourn. 

“ I knew that to my sorrow last winter,” said 
Sibyl, with a slight shudder. 

“ Indeed you did ! ” said her father emphat- 
ically. “ To tell the truth, the business would 
have gone up entirely and this place gone to the 
dogs if this young booby had n’t come along, 
bought out the company, and set the mills to 
running.” 

“ But who and what is he ? ” asked Sibyl, 
more and more puzzled. 

“I do n’t know whether he is a fool or a 
speculator,” replied her father calmly, but I 
shall find out when he gets here.” 

“ He must be rich to buy up a business like 
this,” said Sibyl. 

“ Oh, yes, some relative, an uncle or grand- 
father, made him his heir, then kindly took him- 
self out of the way, so that he has got all the 
money.” 

“ And he has invested in a worthless business 
like this ? He must be a fool,” Miss Sibyl said, 
stating her opinion as calmly as her father. 


i86 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ We will soon find out,” said Mr. Winter- 
bourn. “ Anyway, he is rich enough to be worth 
taking some trouble for.” 

“ I sha’ n’t put myself out for a fellow who 
does n’t know any better than to invest in a 
business that won’t pay him a cent,” said Sibyl 
coolly. 

“ He has made it very nice for us,” Mr. Win- 
terbourn declared. “ Things looked pretty blue 
when the mills shut down.” 

“He may shut them down again when he finds 
there is no profit in them,” said Sibyl thought- 
fully. 

“ That is what I am afraid of,” replied her 
father. “ Anyway, we will watch him and see 
what he does.” 

“ Why is he coming here as timekeeper ? ’* 
asked Sibyl. 

“That is another of his foolish notions,” Mr. 
Winterbourn replied. “ He does n’t want people 
to know that he has anything to do with the 
mills, so he is coming here as a common work- 
man on a salary. The fellow must be half- 
witted.” 

“ It will be very romantic and interesting,” said 
Sibyl thoughtfully. “ I hope whatever he is he 


MR. WINTERBOURNES BOARDER 187 

will have decent manners, for I can ’t bear to 
have a clown about the house.” 

“ Whatever he is, mind you treat him well,” 
said her father, taking some papers out of his 
desk as he prepared to leave the room. 

“ You may trust me,” said Sibyl easily. I ’m 
as much interested as you are.” 

Long after her father had gone out Sibyl sat 
before the fire, thinking over what he had told 
her, and her aunt’s domestic grievances in regard 
to the servant-girl’s blunders fell on deaf ears. 


CHAPTER XIII 


nelly’s dream realized 
OW, Miss Jackson, I am just in time to 



^ take you home. Jump in, I am going 
right by your door.” 

Dr. Thornton drew up his black horse, Solon, 
before the post-office steps, and beckoned to a 
young lady who was just coming out of the 
building. The doctor was supervisor of the 
schools, and had been veiy kind to the new as- 
sistant ever since she had been in Dedham. 

“ Thank you, doctor,” said she, accepting the 
invitation and climbing into the old-fashioned 
buggy. “ How kind of you to take pity on a 
hard working schoolma’am trudging along on 


foot.” 


‘‘ I like to give the young ladies rides,” replied 
the doctor, “ but my new rival has cut me out ; 
they do n’t come to me now with their little ail- 
ments.” 


i88 


NELLY'S DREAM REALIZED 


189 

‘‘ I will, doctor,” said the young lady stoutly. 
“ Dr. Farnsworth will never dose me for any ail- 
ments, little or big.” 

Holloa ! ” exclaimed the doctor. “ Do n’t 
you like him ? ” 

“ I ought not to say that I do. n’t,” said she, 
hesitating, “ for I really know very little about 
him.” 

He is very popular with the young ladies,” 
said the doctor, “ and seems to be making his 
way. I have had no professional intercourse 
with him, for he did not ask me to the consulta- 
tion he had over one of his patients last week.” 

I do n’t think that was very respectful or 
polite.” 

“Oh, he wants to oust us old fellows,” said 
the doctor laughing. “ He thinks it is time I 
was laid on the shelf. I have been talking of 
retiring for the last ten years. I shall have to 
now, and wife and I will take a trip to Europe.” 

“ That would be lovely for you,” said his com- 
panion, “ but won’t you please wait till I leave 
Dedham ? I do n’t know what I should do 
without you and your wife, and if I should be 
sick I ’m sure I should n’t want Frank — Dr. 
Farnsworth, I mean — to tend me.” 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


190 

“ You do n’t look as though you had any in- 
tention of being sick,” laughed the doctor. “ If 
all the girls looked as rosy and healthy as you do 
we doctors would n’t be so busy.” 

“ I do n’t intend to be sick,” she replied ; “ but 
I do n’t know when it may be my fate to slip 
on a piece of banana. When I do I want you 
round, doctor.” 

“ I ’ll come if you meet with that fate here in 
Dedham,” he promised. I hear you expect 
your mother, Miss Jackson.” 

“Yes, she is coming to-morrow,” and the 
assistant’s face brightened visibly. “ The house 
is all ready. I did the last thing to-day, and left 
the fire ready to light.” 

“ Miss Stone has taken you in.” 

“Yes, was n’t it good of her?” said the 
young lady gratefully. “ Mamma and I would 
have been lonesome in a house by ourselves, for 
we are social folks, and have always been used to 
a large family.” 

“A dressmaker’s shop on the other side of 
the hall ought to keep things lively,” the doctor 
remarked. 

“Yes, and we will know everything that is go- 
ing on in town,” laughed the young lady. “ Miss 



“ HERE IS AN OLD FRIEND. 


3 ? 




* 







- ' . , Jfc, 

« 





« 





^1 











i"* 




NELL Y^S DREAM REALIZED 


19 


Stone tells me a piece of news every day. Yes- 
terday she informed me that Miss Winterbourn 
was going to a concert to-morrow evening, and 
had a handsome new dress made on purpose for 
the occasion.” 

“That is interesting,” said the doctor. “The 
best of us like to learn all we can about our 
neighbors’ private affairs. Did she have a bulle- 
tin to-day ? ” 

“To-day? Let me see. Oh, yes, she told me 
the Winterbourns were going to have a boarder, 
which she thought was rather odd, as Mr. Win- 
terbourn is well off, and surely does n’t need to 
take boarders to help out his income.” 

“ I heard there was a young man going there 
to board,” said the doctor. “ Let me see — what is 
his name? — Ashton or Aller, something like that; 
anyway it begins with an A.” 

“ Miss Stone told me he was to hold some 
position down on the works.” 

“Timekeeper,” replied the doctor. “It is 
rather odd for Winterbourn to take him to 
board, but I suppose he fell rather behind during 
the hard times.” 

“ How nice it is that the mills are running 
again.” 


192 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“Yes, it has been the salvation of the town,’* 
said the doctor, drawing rein at his companion’s 
boarding-place. “Now, Miss Jackson, you must 
bring your mother to see us.” 

“ Indeed I shall,” she replied. “ She will want 
to thank you for your kindness to me.” 

“ Nonsense ! ” exclaimed the doctor. “ We 
do n’t want to be thanked for enjoying your 
society. Good night. Miss Jackson. Go on, 
Solon.” 

The next day Miss Stone was somewhat ex- 
cited, for her tenants were going to move in. 
Everything was ready, and the front room 
looked very inviting with its carpet of wood 
shades, its cheap but pretty draperies before 
doors and windows, its easy chairs, open piano, 
and the fire in the open Franklin all ready to 
light. 

At four o’clock the assistant came flying in 
with a bouquet of roses, chrysanthemums and 
geraniums in her hand from Mrs. Thornton’s 
choice plants, which she hastily arranged in a 
vase on the table to welcome the newcomer. 

As the cars rolled into the Dedham station at 
five o’clock, a young man and a middle-aged 
lady, who appeared to be travelling together, 


NELLY'S DREAM REALIZED 


193 


were among the passengers to leave the train. 
As the young man helped his companion off the 
car they both looked eagerly around as if in 
search of some one. 

There she is,” said the lady suddenly. 
“There is Nelly.” 

The young man looked in the direction she 
indicated and saw a young lady coming rapidly 
along the platform toward them, but she did not 
rush straight at the lady and throw both arms 
round her neck, as he expected her to do, 
though one glimpse of her face, as she quietly 
kissed her, showed that she was full of delight 
at the meeting. 

“ O mamma ! ” she said, “ I am so glad to see 
you here at last. Are you very tired ? Where 
is your check ? ” 

“ Here is an old friend you have not spoken 
to, Nelly,” said Mrs. Jackson with a smile. 

Nelly had not thought of connecting the tall 
young man who stood near them with her 
mother, and looked up at him in surprise. 

“ She does n’t know me,” said he ruefully. “ I 
knew she would n’t ; but I should have recog- 
nized her if I had seen her in Egypt.” 

“It is George, Nelly,” Mrs. Jackson explained. 

13 


194 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ George ! ” repeated Nelly vaguely. 

“ No wonder she does n’t know me!” he ex- 
claimed. “ She has even forgotten my existence. 
Think of all the people you have met by that 
name, and, in the remote ages of the past, you 
may recall having seen me.” 

“ It is n’t George Arlington, is it ? ” said Nelly 
incredulously. 

“ Yes, it is surely George Arlington,” said her 
mother smilingly. 

Do you remember knowing a person by that 
name in the long, long ago?” asked George, 
offering her his hand. 

Nelly gave him hers, and for a moment they 
stood looking at each other, trying to reconcile 
the person before them with the picture they 
had carried in their minds for so many years. 
Nelly could not realize that the young man with 
the clear, steady blue eyes, and strong, earnest 
face, was the yellow-haired boy with the merry 
whistle and saucy smile whom she used to know. 

George on his part did not feel so strange. 
He had carried away the picture of a brown-eyed 
maiden, with a knot of curls tied in her neck, 
and he found her not so very much changed. 
The same brown eyes were looking up into his, 


NELLY'S DREAM REALIZED 


19s 


the curls were gathered up and fastened at the 
back of her head ; the dresses were a little longer, 
the face a little more womanly, but that was all 
the difference. 

“ I can’t make it seem real,” said Nelly, with 
a little laugh, “ it has come upon me so sud- 
denly.” 

And you had forgotten that I existed,” said 
George reproachfully. 

“Of course I had not,” Nelly replied ; “ but I 
did not know in what part of the round world 
you had taken up your abode, and was naturally 
surprised at your suddenly appearing in Dedham. 
You are not going to stay, of course.” 

“ Of course I am,” he replied, “ and will take 
your checks. Mother Jackson. Where do you 
want your baggage sent ? ” 

“To Miss Augusta Stone’s,” replied Nelly. 
“ Every one in Dedham knows where that is. It 
is so near that mamma and I can walk.” 

“ Where are you going, George ? ” said Mrs. 
Jackson. “ I believe you have not told me that.” 

“ I am going to a Mr. Winterbourn’s,” he re- 
plied, “ and, as I have n’t the remotest idea where 
it is, I think I shall get one of these cabbies to 
take charge of me and my belongings.” 


196 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“Why, you must be the young man Dr. 
Thornton meant,” Nelly exclaimed. “ But, no, 
you can ’t be.” 

“ What about that young man ? ” demanded 
George. “ What did the doctor say about him ? ” 

“ He said a young man by the name of Ashton 
was going to board at Mr. Winterbourn's.” 

“ My name is Arlington, Miss Jackson,” said 
George gravely, “ but I am going to board at Mr. 
Winterbourn’s.” 

“ But you can ’t be that young man,” Nelly 
persisted. 

“ Why not ? ” 

“ Why, he is going to be timekeeper at the 
mills,” said Nelly blushing. 

“ Why can ’t I be timekeeper at the mills ? ” 
asked George. 

“ Why, you can,” stammered Nelly, “ only I 
thought — -that is, I did n’t suppose — ” 

“ That I could,” said George, finishing the 
sentence for her. “Well, perhaps I can ’t, but I 
mean to try.” 

“O George,” said Nelly in confusion, “you 
know I did n’t mean that.” 

“Nelly does n’t doubt your ability, George,” 
said Mrs. Jackson, kindly coming to her daugh- 


NELL Y'S DREAM REALIZED 


197 


ter’s aid, “ but, like myself, she was surprised 
that you, with your means, should take such a 
position. I am sure she thinks none the less of 
you on that account, though.” 

“ There,” said Nelly, in a relieved tone, 
“ mamma has said what I meant. Do you un- 
derstand ? ” 

“ Perfectly,” he replied with a smile. “ I must 
say good-bye for the present, and will see that 
your baggage is delivered all right. Mother Jack- 
son.” 

“ Thank you,” said both ladies, as he touched 
his cap and turned away. 

“Where did you meet him, mamma? ” asked 
Nelly, as they walked up the street together. 

“Just after I got on the train at Boston a 
strange young man, as I thought, came into the 
car, and, after looking at me sharply for a mo- 
ment, came up and spoke to me. I did not recog- 
nize him any more than you did ; he had to tell 
me who he was.” 

“ He has changed so,” said Nelly. “ Dear me ! 
I did n’t inquire for Violet or for his father and 
mother. I saw him such a short time, and was 
so surprised at seeing him at all.” 

“ They are all well and are at home just now,” 


198 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

Mrs. Jackson replied. “ But what a pretty place 
Dedham is ! I had no idea it was so pleasant.” 

“You must fall in love with everything, mam- 
ma,” said Nelly, forgetting all but the fact that 
her mother was with her, and that her long- 
cherished dream was about to be realized. “ The 
place, the school, the house, and Miss Augusta, 
are all charming.” 

“ I hope it is not a long walk from Miss 
Stone’s to the schoolhouse,” said Mrs. Jackson 
anxiously. 

“ No, it is just the constitutional I need,” 
Nelly declared. “ And Joe — mamma, you have no 
idea what a cherub he is. He lets me have my 
own way about everything.” 

“ That is certainly a trait in his favor,” said 
Mrs. Jackson smiling. “ I hope he won’t do all 
the work.” 

“ I won’t let him do that,” said Nelly. “ I in- 
sist upon bearing my share of the burdens. But 
there is the house, with Miss Augusta and her 
staff looking out of the window to see what the 
assistant’s mother looks like. If they were n’t 
looking I would dance a jig to give vent to my 
feelings.” 

Mrs. Jackson was almost as much excited as 


NELLY’S DREAM REALIZED 


199 


her daughter, and her eyes shone with pride and 
happiness as Nelly escorted her into the house. 
Before she was allowed to take off her bonnet 
Nelly took her over every part of it, from the 
chamber where all her dainty belongings were, 
to the cellar where she duly inspected the provi- 
sions Nelly had laid in for winter. 

“ Now,” said Nelly, when her mother’s wraps 
were off and she was seated in the easiest chair 
before the open Franklin, “you must sit still and 
rest while I get supper.” 

“Let me get supper,” urged Mrs. Jackson; 
“ you must be tired after teaching all day.” 

“ Why teaching is play, mamma,” Nelly de- 
clared, “ and the sight of you seated in that rock- 
ing-chair makes me feel as fresh as a lark. Be- 
sides, mamma, you couldn’t get a meal on a small 
scale, you poor dear, after getting suppers and 
dinners for a houseful of boarders. You’ll never 
do it again. Mother Jackson. Now watch and 
see how I manage. How many times I have done 
this in imagination ! ” 

The oil-stove was brought out and lighted. 
Over this Nelly made coffee, cooked an omelet, 
and toasted bread, then, drawing the little round 
table up to the fire, she covered it with a white 


200 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


cloth and set the meal out temptingly upon it ; 
telling her mother where each article came from. 
Miss Augusta had given them the bread to com- 
mence housekeeping with, the plum preserves 
and delicate ham Mrs. Thornton had sent, the 
eggs Joe had obtained from some unknown source, 
and the coffee she had bought herself at the 
grocer’s. It was a cosey, pleasant meal, that first 
one in the new home. 

I never was so happy in my life,” Nelly de- 
clared. ‘‘ Did you ever eat a nicer supper, mam- 
ma?” 

“ I do n’t think I ever did, Nelly,” Mrs. Jack- 
son truthfully replied. 

“ We only need a cat to make our picture of 
domestic bliss perfect,” the young lady went on. 

I would only have to mention to Joe that I 
had such a want and he would present me with a 
kitten at once.” 

“ I am so glad you are teaching with an old 
friend,” said Mrs. Jackson ; it makes it so much 
pleasanter.” 

“ There ! ” said Nelly, as she put the table back 
in its proper place and set Mrs. Thornton’s 
bouquet upon it, “ the height of my ambition is 
reached ; you are seated in my house, for which 


NELLYAS DREAM REALIZED 


201 


I pay Miss Augusta so many dollars a month, 
and won’t have a thing to worry about, nor a 
single boarder to please.” 

“ My dear Nelly, how thankful we ought to 
be! ” said Mrs. Jackson, looking round the bright 
pretty room and then at her daughter, who gave 
it its chief charm in her eyes. 

“ How thankful I am 1 ” said the grateful girl, 
kneeling on the rug by her mother’s chair. “ I 
often wonder why God is so good to me ; I don’t 
deserve it.” 

“ I do n’t know, Nelly, said her mother fondly ; 
“ you have earned this home and I ’m sure you 
deserve to be happy in it. 1 am thankful every 
day that I have such a daughter.” 

“ I am almost as good as a son ; am I not ? ” 
said Nelly merrily. 

“ You are a hundred times better than a son,” 
Mrs. Jackson declared. “ A boy could not have 
been the comfort to me that you have been, 
Nelly.” 

“ Even if Mr. Arlington would have helped me 
to business. I wonder,” she added suddenly, 
why George has come here to work in the mills ! ” 

“ It is rather strange,” her mother replied, 
‘'but I was very much pleased with George and 


202 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


liked what he said. It shows that prosperity has 
not spoiled him.” 

‘‘ Isn’t it funny,” said Nelly, “that Frank, Joe 
and I, and now George, should all come here?” 

“ How does Frank seem ? ” asked Mrs. Jackson. 
“ Has he changed any ? ” 

“ I do n’t know,” said Nelly slowly. “To tell 
the truth, I can’t feel very cordial toward Frank 
when I think how mean he was when George was 
expelled.” 

“ That was years ago,” said Mrs. Jackson. 
“You would not lay that up against Frank now? 
He may have repented.” 

“ Perhaps he has,” Nelly admitted. “ He is 
very popular here, and regular in his attendance 
at church, but, do you know? I can never trust 
Frank.” 

“ I know he used to strike me as not ringing 
true,” Mrs. Jackson replied, “but we have not 
heard anything against him since that time, and 
we ought not to let that prejudice us; he maybe 
sincere now.” 

“ I ’m sure I hope he is,” said Nelly ; “ anyway, 
the private opinion of the little schoolma’am 
can ’t affect him any. But there is a knock ; Miss 
Augusta is coming to make us a call.” 


NELLYAS DREAM REALIZED 


203 


Miss Augusta had been anxious to see her new 
tenants ever since she watched Nelly and her 
mother enter the house, and could hardly wait 
till she knew they were through supper before she 
crossed the hall and tapped at their door. Nelly 
welcomed her cordially, and, after introducing 
her mother, drew another chair up before the fire 
for their guest. 

Miss Augusta inwardly confessed that the little 
parlor was very pretty and cosey, and much more 
attractive than her state reception-room across 
the hall ; and while she talked with her hostess 
her little sharp gray eyes took in all the details, 
and she inwardly speculated how much the piano 
cost, and where all the books came from. 

She had not been there long before there was 
a ring at the bell. 

Dear me ! ’’ exclaimed Nelly laughing, “ how 
are we going to tell which one is wanted ? ” 

“ I ain’t expecting any one to-night,” said Miss 
Stone. “ Perhaps it ’s Mr. Allen ; I ’ll learn to 
know his ring.” 

“ Oh yes,” replied Nelly. I had not thought 
of him, but of course he would come to see 
mamma.” 

Miss Augusta insisted upon returning to her 


204 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


own part of the house, and, in spite of Mrs. Jack- 
son’s urging, brought her call to a hasty close. 
But she did not get inside her own door before 
she heard Nelly exclaim as she admitted her 
visitor : 

“Oh, Joe, whom do you think I saw at the 
station to-day ? ” 


CHAPTER XIV 


AN EXETER REUNION 

T T was SO seldom that Sibyl Winterbourn took 
any interest in domestic affairs that her aunt 
was surprised to have her come out into the 
dining-room the day on which their boarder was 
expected and attend to the setting of the table 
with her own hands. 

“ I should think you were expecting company,” 
said the elder Miss Winterbourn. “ Seems to 
me you are making a great spread for that 
boarder of your father’s.” 

These things might as well be used as stand 
idle in the china-closet,” her niece replied, arrang- 
ing the handsome silver service. 

‘‘ That girl in the kitchen will break those 
thin glass tumblers the first time she wipes them,” 
Miss Winterbourn declared. 

I believe there are plenty more at Wood’s.” 

You talk as though your father was a million- 
205 


2o6 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


aire, and could set his table with new dishes 
every day.” 

“ Papa will not care how much I use the best 
dishes, and as he buys them and does not ex- 
pect you to pay the bills, you need not worry if 
some of them do get broken.” 

Having thus ousted her aunt and driven her 
from the field, Sibyl continued her work and 
made the table look as pretty and attractive as 
possible. 

Father and daughter were both looking forward 
to the arrival of their boarder with a great deal of 
curiosity, but the new timekeeper had not been in 
the house half-an-hour, before they were more puz- 
zled than ever. Why had this wide-awake, in- 
telligent young man invested in a business that 
was not paying a cent of profit? 

Sibyl was very quiet during the meal, taking 
no part in the conversation, which was mostly on 
business and politics, unless she was addressed, 
when she answered in an intelligent manner which 
showed she understood the drift of the conversa- 
tion and had her own opinions. But she was 
quietly observant of their boarder, and, like her 
father, made up her mind that he was no fool, 
which made his conduct all the more puzzling. 


AJV EXETER REUNION 


207 

When the meal was ended Mr. Winterbourn 
carried his boarder into the library for a quiet 
talk. 

“ Have a cigar?’' asked the gentleman, offering 
the contents of his cigar-case to the stranger. 

“ No, thank you,” he replied, “ I never smoke.” 

“ Never smoke ! ” echoed Mr. Winterbourn, 
wondering if the fellow was in his right mind. 

You do n’t know what you miss. Every man 
ought to smoke.” 

“ I do n ’t agree with you,” said the young man 
frankly. “ I think it would be better if men gave 
up the use of tobacco altogether.” 

“ We won ’t stop to argue ; it isn ’t worth it,” 
said Mr. Winterbourn with a slight sneer. I 
brought you in here to have a private talk. My 
sister and daughter do n’t suspect that you are 
anything but a timekeeper.” 

‘‘ That is right,” replied George. “ I do n’t 
care to have my connection with the business 
known just yet. I suppose you have carried out 
my orders.” 

“Yes, the mills have been running some time, 
but you were very foolish to put the wages so 
high. You see, there is n’t the demand and sale 
there was ten years ago.” 


2o8 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ I know it,” said George quietly. 

“You had better cut the hands down thirty 
per cent ; that was all they were earning when 
the mills shut down.” 

“ I will let you know when I want a cut- 
down.” 

Mr. Winterbourn surveyed his companion 
through a cloud of tobacco-smoke, but the young 
man’s face told him nothing, for he shut a mask 
down over it which completely concealed what- 
ever thoughts were passing through his mind. 

“ The fellow is no fool,” thought Mr. Winter- 
bourn for the sixth time that evening. 

“ How many hands do you employ ? ” in- 
quired George. 

“ About three hundred.” 

“ And how do they live ? ” 

“ How do they live ? ” echoed Mr. Winter- 
bourn in a voice of astonishment. 

“ Yes, have many of the men families ? Are their 
houses well drained and in good condition, and 
do their children go to school ? ” 

“ Blest if I know ! ” ejaculated Mr. Winter- 
bourn. 

George made no comment, but an expression 
flitted across his face as though he made a men- 


AJV EXETER REUNION 


209 


tal note of his own question, and intended an- 
swering it himself since his agent could not. 

“You employ women in some of the rooms, 
do n’t you ? ” he asked. 

“Yes, women and girls.” 

“ Have they homes here ? ” 

“ Some of ’em have, and there ’s a boarding- 
house for those who haven’t.” 

“ What sort of a house is it ? Is it well con- 
ducted ? ” 

“ Oh, it is well enough,” replied Mr. Winter- 
bourn carelessly. “ I do n’t hear any fault found.” 

George made another mental note, and then 
asked : “ Do many of the men drink ? ” 

“ Oh, the whole of them, more or less,” replied 
Mr. Winterbourn promptly, for he was well 
posted on this question. 

George did not speak again for a few minutes, 
for he seemed to be pondering something. His 
host still regarded him through a cloud of to- 
bacco-smoke. He was not a fool, but he was 
evidently a philanthropist, and, in Mr. Winter- 
bourn’s opinion, there was not much difference 
between the two. 

Before either spoke again the door was opened 
and Sibyl looked in. She was ready for the con- 

14 


210 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


cert, in the dress Miss Stone had sent home a few 
hours before, and looked like a bird of brilliant 
plumage in her stylish outfit. 

“May I come in, or do I interrupt?” she 
asked, pausing just inside the door. 

Both gentlemen looked at her, her father 
proudly, the stranger admiringly. 

“ We are talking business,” Mr. Winterbourn 
replied. “ What do you want, my dear? ” 

“ Oh, I ’m not going to stay,” she replied. “ I 
only came in to tell you that my escort is wait- 
ing to take me to the concert. I know better 
than to interrupt these business interviews.” 

“ I hope you will enjoy the concert. Miss Win- 
terbourn,” said George, rising to hold the door 
open for her. 

“ Thank you ; there is no doubt but that I 
shall,” and with a bright smile over her shoulder 
she hurried along the hall. 

George was busy all the next day, and Sibyl 
saw nothing of him until evening when she 
heard him coming down-stairs, and, determined 
to learn, if possible, where he was going, she went 
out into the hall. ^ 

George’s hand was on the door-knob when the 
young lady of the house accosted him. 


AJV EXETER REUNION 


2II 


Are you going out, Mr. Arlington ? ” she 
asked. 

“Yes, there is a call I wish to make,” he re- 
plied frankly. 

“ Who in the world is there here he knows 
well enough to call on ? ” was the young lady’s 
mental comment ; aloud she said : 

“ Could you do an errand for me ? or would it 
be too much trouble?” 

“ It will be no trouble at all,” George replied. 
“ I shall be glad to do anything I can for you, 
Miss Winterbourn.” 

“ I would like very much to have a letter 
mailed,” replied Sibyl, “ if it will not take you 
out of your way to stop at the post-office.” 

“ Not at all. I am going down on Main 
Street.” 

“ Then if it will not be too much trouble I 
will seal and direct it.” 

George waited while Sibyl got her letter ready, 
and then left her thoroughly provoked because 
she could not find out, without direct question- 
ing, where her boarder was going to make a call. 

“ I ’d like to know what acquaintance he has 
made in this short time,” she mused. “ There is 
no one on Main Street he would be apt to go and 


212 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


see. There is something mysterious about him 
after all.” 

It so happened that another young man had 
planned to make a call that same evening. 
Frank Farnsworth was not very well pleased to 
meet two of his old schoolmates in Dedham in 
the persons of Nelly Jackson and Joe Allen. The 
latter he hated on account of the part he had played 
in his exposure and disgrace at Exeter Academy, 
but the only way he could show his dislike was 
by treating Joe with a cool contempt and indiffer- 
ence which gave him no satisfaction because Joe 
apparently did not notice it. He was also a 
little uneasy for fear they might expose some of 
his past history and injure his growing popular- 
ity. Joe he knew well enough would not say any- 
thing, but Nelly he did not trust, for he knew the 
young lady disliked him. The only way he could 
think of to prevent anything unpleasant coming 
to light was to win Nelly over by showing her 
some attention. He had not succeeded, how- 
ever, to his satisfaction, for Nelly was very indif- 
ferent to what the other young ladies so much 
admired ; but he did not give up, and when he 
heard that Nelly and her mother were settled at 
Miss Stone’s he made haste to call. 


AN EXETER REUNION 


213 


“ Has Miss Augusta sent for you to prescribe 
for the neuralgia that is troubling her left eye- 
brow?” inquired Nelly, as Frank presented him- 
self. ^‘Excuse me, and I will tell her the doctor 
has come.” 

I do n’t know anything about Miss Augusta 
or her neyralgia either,” replied Frank. “ I have 
come to see you, of course.” 

“Oh, then please step in this way,” said Nelly. 
“ Mamma will be pleased to see you.” 

Mrs. Jackson was glad to see him and shook 
hands cordially. She never believed the worst 
of any one until she was obliged to, and hoped that 
in the years which had passed since Frank left 
Exeter he had redeemed his character. 

Frank had been there but a little while when 
George came in. The young men had met be- 
fore, but neither was very well pleased at finding 
the other in Dedham. Nelly left her mother to 
entertain Frank and began to talk to George. 

“ I was so surprised yesterday I did not think 
to ask about Violet. How is she? How I 
would like to see her! I suppose she has 
changed so much she would not seem like the 
same girl.” 

“Vi is at home now,” George replied. “I 


214 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


don’t think she has changed any more than you 
have, but perhaps I am not in a position to 
judge.” 

“ I believe I will write to her,” said Nelly 
suddenly. “ Do you think she would care to 
hear from me ? ” 

“ I ’m sure she would. Violet often ^speaks of 
you, Nell, and says she is going to write, but you 
know she is not much of a correspondent. I told 
them you were here in the letter I sent home 
last night. It makes it real jolly for me. How 
natural everything looks ! Is that the same old 
piano ? ” 

“ The very same,” laughed Nelly. “ It still 
lives. I had it tuned and put in apple-pie order 
after it got here.” 

“ The sight of it makes me want to get up and 
sing — ‘ Bless thy little Lambs to-night.’ By-the- 
by, where are Mary and her little Lambs? I 
have n’t heard a word concerning their fate. You 
know I left Exeter rather suddenly.” 

“ The little Lambs are teaching out west,” re- 
plied Nelly, ‘‘and Mary is married and settled on 
a farm up in Vermont. I made her a long visit 
one vacation.” 

“ Is it possible Mary has got ahead of me and 


AJV EXE TER RE UNION 2 1 5 

is married and settled down ? She has done a 
good deal in a short time, seems to me.” 

“Why, it is eight years since Mary left Exeter, 
George,” said Nelly. “That is time enough for 
people to get married and settled down.” 

“It hasn’t been time enough for me,” laughed 
George. “ What have you been doing during 
those eight years, Nelly?” 

“ I ! Oh, I went to the academy a year after 
you left, and then I taught district schools until 
we raked and scraped enough together for me to 
enter college.” 

“ What did Mother Jackson do then ?” 

“ She went too,” laughed Nelly. “ They 
wanted a matron for the girls’ boarding-house, 
and mamma was fortunate enough to get the 
position. I have told you all my adventures; 
now I want to hear yours.” 

“ I have n’t any worth telling,” George replied. 
“ Father did n’t put me in the quarry to work, for 
mother begged me off. Sometimes I think it 
would have been better for me if father had done 
as he threatened.” 

“You went to college,” said Nelly, her eyes 
asking for the history of those years. 

“ Yes, I went to college,” he replied, “ but I 


2i6 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


didn’t work there as you did, Nell. I had to 
learn a good many lessons before I woke up to the 
fact that there is something more to do in this 
life than having a good time. I never forgot 
the lessons I learned at Exeter, though. Mother 
Jackson’s influence has been the guiding star of 
my life.” 

“ I am so glad,” said Nelly with shining eyes. 

“ I skylarked round after leaving college,” 
George continued, “ until grandfather was taken 
sick and sent for me. I took care of him for 
six months, for he would not let any one 
else do a thing for him ; and when he died and 
the business was settled, I felt that it was time I 
was of some use in the world when so much was 
entrusted to my care.” 

Nelly opened her mouth to ask another ques- 
tion when the door-bell rang again. 

“Another caller, Nelly?” said her mother 
smiling. 

“It must be for Miss Stone this time,” Nelly 
declared, “ but I will spare her eyebrow and go and 
see.” 

But Nelly was wrong, for, instead of a customer 
to see Miss Stone, she found Joe waiting on the 
steps. 


A AT EXETER REUNION 


217 


“ This is a real Exeter reunion,” said Nelly 
merrily. “ If we exercise a proper amount of 
imagination we will pull out our books and go to 
studying for to-morrow’s lessons.” 

“ There are too many gaps to make it perfect,” 
said Joe. “ We want Violet and Mary to make a 
reunion.” 

“ And Maud,” said George. “ I have not 
thought to inquire for her.” 

She was married last summer and lives in 
Boston,” replied Frank. “ She has made a good 
marriage.” 

“ Dear me^ I am growing old ! ” said George 
with a sigh. “ All my old schoolmates are get- 
ting married.” 

“ We will get sentimental talking over old 
times,” said Nelly, “ and George will try to finish 
that ode he commenced so long ago — 

“ There was an academy which stood on a hill, 

And if it ’s not gone it is standing there still ! ” 

“ That ’s a fact,” laughed George. “ I hope the 
boys and girls of the present and future will have 
as good a time and receive as much good from 
that academy as I have.” 

“ Hear ! hear ! ” said Joe merrily. 

‘‘ No, I ’m not going to make a speech,” said 


2i8 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


George soberly, ‘‘ for I do n’t know how ; but, in 
spite of the way in which I left Exeter, I have 
always cherished a grateful remembrance of it.” 

“How do you like this place, George ? ” said 
Frank, who did not care to talk about the old 
Exeter days with these people who knew all 
about his career there. 

“Very much,” George replied. “It seems to 
be quite a business place.” 

“It is now,” said Frank, “but last year every 
one thought it was on its last legs.” 

“ The mills shutting down was the cause of it,” 
said Joe quietly. 

“ Whoever bought out that company did a 
grand thing for the place,” said Mrs. Jackson 
warmly. 

“Yes, I never should have come here if the 
mills had n’t commenced operations,” said Frank 
complacently ; at which speech George smiled 
quietly to himself. 

The three young men left the hous'^ together, 
all unconscious of the fact that a corner of the 
curtain was raised in the front room across the 
hall, and a pair of sharp gray eyes looked out 
after them. 

“ There, they ’ve gone after so long a time,” ex- 


AN EXETER REUNION 


219 


claimed Miss Stone ; “ now I hope there will be 
a little quiet. Such a racket all the time ; folks 
here every evening. I almost wish I had n’t let 
the rooms. My land ! if there ain’t three of 
’em ! ” 

Who are they ? ” asked the girl who was 
making buttonholes in the back room. 

“ The short one is Mr. Allen, and the other one 
has a look like Dr. Farnsworth, but I never set 
eyes on that great tall splice before. Well,” 
dropping the curtain, “ I hope there ’ll be a little 
peace for the rest of the evening. I should think 
three at a time was enough.” 

Possibly Miss Stone would not have been so 
bitter if neuralgic pains had not been darting like 
lightning through her temples. It is hard to be 
sweet-tempered and think well of our neighbors 
when our head is racked with pain, and Miss 
Augusta was put out with the whole world. 

A knock at the door, and a bright face looked in. 

“ May I come in and help ? ” asked Nelly. “ I 
know you have had the neuralgia all day and 
can’t feel much like, sewing? What are you 
doing? Getting that braid ready to stitch on? 
Oh, I can do anything as plain and simple as 
that.” 


220 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


As she took the work away from her, and, sit- 
ting down by the machine, began to baste in a 
way that meant business. Miss Augusta felt that 
she could forgive her even the sin of having three 
young men call upon her at once. 

Go and lie down on the sofa. Miss Stone,’" 
said Nelly. “ Mamma is heating some water on 
our oil-stove, and will put some hot cloths on your 
head. You must not think of sewing any more 
to-night.” 

^‘You are very kind,” said Miss Augusta, lay- 
ing her aching head on the sofa-pillow, “ I believe 
I am tired.” 

After all, it was pleasant to have such neigh- 
bors. No one had ever done anything for her 
neuralgia before, and when Mrs. Jackson came in 
with her light step and soothing touch, Miss 
Stone decided not to give her tenants warning, 
even if they had young men callers every evening. 


CHAPTER XV 


nelly’s sick scholar 
EORGE had not been in Dedham long 



before he awoke to find himself, not 
famous, but popular. He was feasted and feted, 
smiled on by young and old, and if he had not 
been used to it all his life, he might have been 
spoiled ; but as it was, he took it as a matter of 
course, only wondering once in a while why they 
made so much of him when they thought he was 
only timekeeper down at the mills. It was really 
due to the fact that Mrs. Buckman knew his 
father. 

“ Mr. Arlington is a granite king,” said she to 
her lady callers one afternoon, “ and I can ’t im- 
agine why George is here working for a salary.” 

“ Perhaps he has got into some trouble,” one 
lady suggested, “ and his father has cast him off.” 

“ Or they may have quarreled,” added another. 

That may be,” said Mrs. Buckman. “ Dr. 
Farnsworth told me in strict confidence — he did n’t 


221 


222 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


want it to go from him, so do n’t mention it — that 
George was very fast when he was in college. 
He and the doctor are old friends and school- 
mates, you know.” 

Dr. Farnsworth was a friend few would care 
to have, for when he saw George’s growing pop- 
ularity he had mentioned the fact to a dozen, in 
strict confidence, that George had been very dis- 
sipated, but that he hoped he had sowed his 
wild oats and would settle down now and behave 
himself. Instead of hurting George’s reputation, 
Frank’s stories only made him the more interest- 
ing, and the gossip about his quarrel with his 
father, added to the rest, made George appear 
quite romantic. 

Mrs. Buckman decided to give a party, so that 
the young people could have a chance to get 
acquainted with this interesting young man who 
was making such a sensation, and, heading her 
list of invitations with George’s name, added those 
of her favorites among the young men and women 
in her circle of acquaintance. When the list was 
finished she found she needed one more young 
man to make an even number. 

Who else is there ? ” she pondered. I have 
asked every one I know. Oh, there is the princi- 


NELL V’S SICK SCHOLAR 


223 


pal of the high-school ! He is a nice young man. 
I will ask him. I suppose I ought to ask the 
assistant too, but I have got all the girls I want. 
I have only met her once or twice, and she can 't 
expect to be invited everywhere.” 

It so happened that on the week of the party 
several events occurred of great interest to the 
different characters of this story. Monday morn- 
ing a girl, who lived in the country and was work- 
ing for her board in Dedham for the sake of going 
to school, caused a great excitement in the school- 
room by fainting away. A carriage was brought 
to take her to her boarding-house, but when the 
doctor told the lady who employed her that the 
girl was threatened with typhoid fever she re- 
fused to let her remain, but, sick as she was, 
ordered her to be sent home at once. 

This roused Nelly’s indignation and sympathy. 
She was 'interested in the girl, not only because 
she was a good scholar and working for her edu- 
cation, but because Miss Stone had told her that she 
had a drunkard for a father who did not pretend 
to support his family. 

“ And now that they have sickness in the family 
the Lord knows what will become of them,” 
said the dressmaker, sadly shaking her head. 


224 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ He does know, Miss Stone,” said Nelly, with 
a glad ring in her voice. “We can always feel 
sure of that.” 

“Yes, but He won’t tell,” complained Miss Au- 
gusta, “and it looks pretty hard for ’em, I think.” 

Nelly thought of her sick scholar all the week, 
but heard nothing from her, for the family lived 
several miles out of the town, and no one seemed 
to know anything about them. Wednesday she 
met Dr. Farnsworth on the street and, instead of 
passing him with a bow as was her wont, Nelly 
paused, and, looking anxiously up in his face, said 
eagerly : 

“ O doctor, how is Ada Black ? ” 

“ Ada Black ! ” repeated the doctor. “ I do n’t 
believe I have the honor of an acquaintance with 
that lady.” 

“You know whom I mean,” said Nelly impa- 
tiently; “the girl who fainted in school Monday 
morning. You were called to attend her.” 

“ Oh, yes, I remember. I did n’t know what 
the girl’s name was.” 

“ How is she ? ” asked Nelly eagerly. 

“ I have n’t the remotest idea.” 

“Why, you are doctoring her,” said Nelly in 
surprise. 


NELL y^S SICK SCHOLAR 


225 


No, I am not,” he replied. 

Who is — Dr. Thornton ? ” 

“ I do n’t think any one is. But why are yon 
so interested ? Do you want a diagnosis of the 
case ? ” 

“ She is my scholar,” said Nelly, “ and I wanted 
to hear from her. Do you suppose she has 
typhoid fever and no physician is attending 
her?” 

“ I am Afraid that is the case,” said he gravely. 

“Oh, dear,” said Nelly, looking troubled, “ it 
must be they are too poor to employ a doctor. 
Is n’t it dreadful ? ” 

“ I had not thought of that,” said Frank 
gravely, “ but it must be the case. The father is 
a worthless drunkard who does little or nothing 
for his family.” 

“ Do you think there is any hope of Ada’s 
getting over it?” asked Nelly, looking up at him 
anxiously. 

“ Oh, with proper care she would be all right.” 

“ But you see she won’t have any care at all.” 

“ Then I ’m afraid the chances are against her,” 
said Frank soberly. 

“Can’t something be done?” asked Nelly 
desperately. “ CouM n’t you go there without 

15 


226 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


being called, and hint that because you came 
without being sent for they need not worry about 
the bill ? ” 

Nelly looked at him doubtfully as she spoke, 
for she had but little hope that he would pay the 
slightest heed to her suggestion, and was sur- 
prised when he replied : 

“ I had not thought of that, but it is like you 
to remind me that I could do something of the 
kind.” 

“ And will you ? ” she asked in grateful surprise. 

“ Why, yes, when I am up that way I can drop in 
and see if there is anything I can do for the girl.” 

“Thank you ever so much!” said Nelly 
warmly ; “ and after you call if you will let me 
know if there is anything I can do, I will be ever 
so much obliged.” 

“ I should be only too glad to do so,” and, 
touching his cap, Dr. Farnsworth went on his 
way, well pleased with the interview. 

Nelly went home full of remorse to think how 
she had misjudged Frank. 

“ He was perfectly willing to do whatever he 
could,” said she to her mother, “ as soon as I re- 
minded him of it.” 

“ A great deal of the selfishness of the world is 


NELLY'S SICK SCHOLAR 


227 


due to thoughtlessness, Nelly,” said Mrs. Jack- 
son. “ It is because we do not think enough of 
others and their needs.” 

“ But I thought Frank would n’t care how much 
poor people suffered,” said Nelly, “even if he 
knew and saw it. I ’m sorry I misjudged him so. 
He may have changed, as you said, mamma.” 

“Always think the best of people, Nelly,” 
said Mrs. Jackson cheerfully, “and give them 
the benefit of the doubt.” 

Friday noon Nelly came running down-stairs 
from the recitation-room, pulling on her gloves. 

“ Are you going to the party to-night ? ” asked 
Joe, joining her at the door. 

“ No,” said she in surprise. “ I ’m not going to 
a party ; did n’t know there was one to go to.” 

“ Have n’t you had an invitation from Mrs. 
Buckman for to-night ? ” asked Joe. 

“No,” said Nelly, shaking her head; “that 
lady has never invited me to her house.” 

“Why did n’t she?” demanded Joe. “You 
are acquainted with her?” 

“ I met her at that horrible, stiff sociable I went 
to, and she bows when she meets me at church. 
But I ’m not what you would call acquainted 
with her.” 


228 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


She might have invited you, anyway,” de- 
clared Joe wrathfully. 

“Has she asked you?” said Nelly. “I sup- 
pose she has, or you would be as ignorant as I on 
the subject.” 

“Yes, she sent me an invitation,” said Joe, 
“ but I do n’t believe I ’ll go.” 

“ Why not?” demanded Nelly. 

“ You know I hate parties,” he replied. “ I ’d 
rather saw wood all day than go to one. I feel 
like a gawk standing round trying to talk to some 
lady I never saw before.” 

Joe had struggled hard all these years to over- 
come his bashfulness, but had not succeeded. 

“You won’t have to stand round, Joe,” said 
Nelly consolingly. “ It is probably a progressive 
party of some kind, and if you do n’t go some 
one will be left without a partner.” 

“ I do n’t think it is a fellow’s duty to inflict 
torture on himself by going to every party he is 
invited to,” said Joe gloomily. 

“ But you ought to enjoy them, Joe,” said 
Nelly laughing. “ It gives you a chance to meet 
your friends when they are looking their best and 
are pleasant and gay ; then there is always some 
enjoyable entertainment.” 


NELLYAS SICK SCHOLAR 


229 


‘‘ But I never was intended for such affairs,” 
Joe persisted. “ I am out of my element. I 
can never think of the first thing to say, and if I 
move about I step on the ladies’ dresses until 
I ’m sure they wish I was in the moon. I do n’t 
see what they invite me for?” 

“ It is a sad case,” said Nelly laughing. 

“ I thought if you were going I might manage 
to get through,” he continued. “ I can talk to you, 
so you would be a sort of life-preserver to cling 
to when I ’m launched on the sea of society. ” 

I ’m sorry I can’t serve you in that capa- 
city,” said Nelly gravely. “ If Mrs. Buckman 
had known that the principal of the high-school 
needed the assistant to keep his head above water 
she would have, probably, invited me.” 

“ I sha’ n’t go without you, that is certain,’’ 
said Joe decidedly. 

“ Now, Joe, you must,” declared Nelly; “it is 
your duty.” 

The word duty always brought Joe round, for 
he was as conscientious as he was when a boy go- 
ing to Exeter Academy. 

“Do you really think I ought to go?” he 
asked, pausing as they reached the corner of 
Main Street. 


230 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“Yes, you must,” said Nelly gravely. “ It is 
really your duty, for when a lady honors you 
with an invitation to her house it is not doing 
right not to accept it.” 

“ Well,” said Joe, with a long-drawn sigh, “ I ’ll 
go if you say I must, but I hope Mrs. Buckman 
will see what a gawk I am, and not trouble to 
invite me again.” 

“That is very ungrateful,” laughed Nelly, as 
she turned the corner and passed on to Miss 
Augusta’s abode. 

Two days had passed, and Nelly had heard 
nothing from her sick scholar. Either Frank had 
forgotten his promise or had been so busy he had 
had no time to make charity calls. 

“ To-morrow is Saturday,” she mused, as she 
hurried home from school that same night. “ I 
believe I will hire a horse, and mamma and I 
will drive out there ; only it costs so much to hire 
a horse here, and I ’m not sure of the road, and 
mamma is afraid of livery-stable horses. Oh dear ! 
I wish I knew what to do ! ” 

Nelly was so absorbed in her reflections that 
she did not notice a young man trying to over- 
take her, until a voice at her side exclaimed : 

“ I had about come to the conclusion that you 


NELLYAS SICK SCHOLAR 


231 


had invested in some seven-league boots, you 
were hurrying along so fast.” 

“Why, George! where did you come from?” 
asked Nelly, looking up in surprise. 

“ I have been tearing down street at such a 
furious pace, I have hardly breath enough left to 
answer you. My starting-point was the mills.” 

“ I had no idea I was walking so fast,” said she, 
“ but I suppose I have got into the habit of it by 
staying at home till the last minute, and then 
hurrying for fear I will be late to school.” 

“ I set out to whistle as I used to in Exeter 
when I saw you ahead in the distance. Would 
you have recognized it, do you think? ” 

“ I doubt if I should have noticed it, I was so 
busy thinking.” 

“ I wonder what was absorbing you,” said 
George, gravely, “ but would never dare ask.” 

“ I would just as leave tell you as not,” said 
Nelly, frankly. “ I was thinking about Ada 
Black, who was taken sick in school last Monday. 
I have not heard a word from her, and was just 
wondering if I could persuade mamma to trust to 
a livery-stable horse and my driving, and go and 
see her to-morrow.” 

“ If Mother Jackson allows you to go off with 


232 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


any kind of a horse the stableman has a mind to 
palm off on you she will be doing a very foolish 
thing.” 

“ I suppose you think I can ’t drive,” said Nelly, 
with a pout, “ but I can, and I would n’t let the 
stableman palm every kind of a horse off on 
me. I would inspect the animal very closely, 
and inquire all about his tricks and his manners. 
I am sure that no stableman would deliberately 
plan to break the neck of a harmless school- 
ma’am.” 

“But, honestly, Nelly,” said George, gravely, 
“I do n’t think it would be safe.” 

“ I suppose that is just what mamma will say,” 
said Nelly, with a sigh, “ so I might as well make 
up my mind to stay at home.” 

George was silent for a moment. It was fine 
sleighing, and the moon already hung like a silver 
bow in the azure sky. It struck him that a 
moonlight ride with Nelly would be delightful if 
he could bring it about. 

“Nelly,” said he abruptly, “ I would be . de- 
lighted to drive you up there this evening, if you 
will go.” 

“ O George,” she exclaimed in delight ; “ 
you, just as well as not ? 


can 


NELLYAS SICK SCHOLAR 


233 


“ It would give me great pleasure,” he replied, 
“ if you will go.” 

“ I want to go very much,” said Nelly, honest- 
ly, “ and it is very kind of you to offer to take 
me, George.” 

“ I think I am very kind to take so much 
trouble to please an old friend,” said he, gravely. 
“ I did not know I was deserving of so much 
merit. Will you be ready by seven ? That will 
be none too early to start.” 

“Yes, I will be ready, — but, oh, I forgot,” she 
added suddenly ; “ there is Mrs. Buckman’s 
party.” 

“ Would you rather go there?” asked George, 
conscious of feeling disappointed. 

“ Oh, I ’m not invited,” said Nelly, frankly. 

“ Not invited ! ” he echoed. “ How did that 
happen ? ” 

“ It happened that she did n’t want me,” 
laughed Nelly. “ I do n’t know her very well. 
But of course you will go. It is real kind of you 
to offer to take me, but I can get there some 
other way just as well.” 

“ If you are not going to the party, there is no 
reason why we can ’t go as we planned,” he de- 
clared. 


234 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


‘‘You must go to the party,” said Nelly de- 
cidedly, as they paused before Miss Augusta’s 
door. 

“ I can send my regrets.” 

“ That would never do,” said Nelly, shaking 
her head. “ She would never forgive you.” 

“ Will you be ready at seven ? ” asked George, 
with his old saucy smile. 

“ O George,” said Nelly, with a troubled face, 
“ you must not stay away from the party to take 
me up there. I ’ll never forgive myself for say- 
ing anything to you about it.” 

“ Now, Nell, be sensible,” said George soberly. 
“ I do n’t care a rush for the party, and would en- 
joy a sleigh-ride with you ten per cent more; so 
don’t think any more about it, but get your jellies 
and things ready, and we will be off by seven. 
Good-bye,’’ and, raising his cap with a merry 
smile to Mrs. Jackson, whom he saw at the win- 
dow, he turned away and went down-street. 

Miss Sibyl Winterbourn was very much sur- 
prised to encounter their boarder in the hall 
after tea, getting himself into a long ulster coat 
reaching nearly to his heels. 

“ Will you be so kind as to take my regrets to 
Mrs. Buckman, Miss Winterbourn ? ” he asked. 


NELLYAS SICK SCHOLAR 


235 

“Why, are n’t you going?” she asked with 
secret regret. 

“ No, and if you will excuse me to Mrs. Buck- 
man I will be much obliged.” 

“ Have you got to go somewhere on business, 
Mr. Arlington?” asked Sibyl. “It is too bad. 
Could n’t you postpone it? Mrs. Buckman will 
be so disappointed.” 

“ Unfortunately I can ’t be in two places at 
once,” said George, “ so Mrs. Buckman will have 
to bear her disappointment as best she can.” 

“ Is your other engagement so very impor- 
tant ? ” asked Sibyl, coaxingly. “ Could n’t you 
break it ? ” 

“ No,” said George, pulling on his gloves. “ I 
promised to be at a certain place at seven, and 
must keep my word.” 

“ If it is anything to do with the business I 
am sure papa would let you off,” said Sibyl inno- 
cently. 

“No doubt he would,” replied George, “but 
it is not in your father’s power to release me 
from this engagement.” 

“ It is too bad you can ’t go,” said Sibyl re- 
gretfully, “ for Mrs. Buckman’s parties are always 
delightful.” 


236 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ Thank you for your kind wishes, Miss Win- 
terbourn ; I am sorry Mrs. Buckman wasted one 
of her invitations on me. I hope you will have 
a good time. Good night.” 

She returned his good night with a bright 
smile, which changed to a frown as the door 
closed upon him and she went up to her own 
room. 

How provoking ! ” she exclaimed to herself. 
“ I ’d give ten dollars to know where he has 
gone. He is so provokingly mysterious I can ’t 
find out a thing about him. It is too mean for 
anything, for I thought I was going to have him 
for my escort to-night ; but I sha’n’t let him 
spoil my fun ; there are plenty other men left in 
the world,” and with this praiseworthy determi- 
nation to put up with the second-best, Miss 
Winterbourn began to dress for the party. 


CHAPTER XVI 


THE TEN TALENTS 


H ere we are at last, Nelly ! This is the 
house." 

“ Well I am glad ! Now if you will please 
unpack me, and, oh, be careful of that basket ! 
Are you sure it is right side up ? " 

“ Right side up with care, and so are you," 
said George, as he pulled away the fur robes and 
helped Nelly out of the sleigh. 

They had had a serious time finding the place, 
but after inquiring their way several times they 
had reached their destination, a small, bare, un- 
painted house, with a look of what New Eng- 
landers call “ shiftlessness " about it. 

When Nelly and her belongings were all out 
of the sleigh, and the horse carefully covered up, 
George shouldered the basket and they pre- 
sented themselves at the door. A spiritless look- 
ing woman ushered them into the kitchen, the 
only room in which there was a fire, and set 

237 


238 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

chairs for them by the cooking-stove. The sick 
girl was in a small bed-room adjoining. 

The sink was piled full of dirty dishes, the 
floor littered with dirt, but the woman seemed 
past caring for anything, and, making no apol- 
ogies, she picked up her baby and sat down oppo- 
site her guests. 

George set his basket on the^ floor, then, re- 
treating to the window, opened a conversation 
with a group of small boys and girls, who shyly 
regarded their visitors with their fingers in their 
mouths. The baby began to cry and hid his 
face on his mother’s shoulder. 

“ He ’s afraid of strangers,” Mrs. Black ex- 
plained. “There! there! Johnny, look up ; the 
lady is n’t going to hurt you.” 

“ I am Ada’s teacher,” Nelly explained, “and 
have come out to see how she is.” 

“Are you Miss Jackson?” said Mrs. Black in 
surprise. “ I have heard her speak of you often. 
She liked you and Mr. Allen awful well, and 
feels dreadfully about losing her schooling. 
There! there! Johnny, do keep still; I ’m 
ashamed of you ! ” 

“ How is Ada ? ” asked Nelly, when Johnny’s 
cries were hushed so that she could be heard. 




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THE TEN TALENTS 


239 


“ She ’s asleep now,” said Mrs. Black, glancing 
into the bed-room. “ She ’ll be awfully dis- 
appointed not to see you, but I hate to wake 
her up. She ’s dreadful sick and I do n’t know 
what to do for her.” 

“ Did n’t the doctor leave any directions? ” 

“ He ain’t been here ; that ’s the trouble. I ’ve 
sent for him two or three times, but he ain’t been 
near. I suppose he ’s afraid he would n’t be paid, 
and I do n’t know as he would,” and the poor 
woman heaved a deep sigh, and then continued 
to hush young Johnny’s wails, for that young- 
ster seemed to realize the fact that he had en- 
tered on a vale of tears. 

“Which doctor did you send for?” asked 
Nelly. 

“ The new one. Dr. Farnsworth. They called 
him when Ada was taken sick, and they say he ’s 
awful smart. I thought if he ’d come once and 
tell me what to do for Ada I ’d get along alone, 
but he ain’t been near.” 

At that moment Frank Farnsworth, who was 
making his best bow to Mrs. Buckman and 
apologizing for being late on account of a small 
boy who had been so inconsiderate as to break 
his arm and send for him to set it, fell, in Nelly 


240 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Jackson’s estimation, even lower than he was be- 
fore he promised her so faithfully to go and see 
the sick girl, and not charge anything for the visit. 

“ I ’ll never believe in him again,” thought she 
indignantly ; aloud she said : “ Why did n’t you 

send for Dr. Thornton ? He would have come.” 

I know it, but we ain’t paid him for the 
visits he made when I was sick, and I did n’t 
have the face to.” 

Nelly was silent, but she mentally vowed to 
see Dr. Thornton the next day and tell him 
about the sick girl. If he promised to go and 
see her she knew he would keep his word. 

“ I am sorry Ada is asleep,” said she, “ but it 
would be a pity to disturb her. I brought some 
things for her in that basket ; if you will please 
empty them I will take the dishes back.” 

Young Johnny, however, would not be put 
down, but screamed and wiggled like a little eel, 
crying; “ Ma — ma ! ” when his mother besought 
him to be a good boy and let her take care of the 
things the kind lady had brought to sick sister, 
and when the kind lady tried to coax him to let 
her hold him, he screamed at such an alarming 
rate that Nelly was afraid she had frightened 
him into spasms. 


THE TEN TALENTS 


241 


At last a puny little maiden of ten persuaded 
Master Johnny to come to her, and, perching on 
a hard wooden chair, her feet swinging several 
inches from the floor, the thin, pinched-looking 
little girl held the lusty young infant, making one 
of the saddest pictures the eye has ever seen. 
Poor little girl ! she had grown up with a weak 
back because she was one of the oldest of a large 
family of children. 

Mrs. Black put away the good things Nelly’s 
basket contained, handing back the empty 
dishes, and as there was nothing more she could 
do, Nelly rose and began to fasten up her wraps. 

“ Ada will be awfully disappointed when I tell 
her that you have been here,” said Mrs. Black. 

“ Tell her I ’ll come again,” said Nelly. ‘‘Per- 
haps I can ride up with Dr. Thornton some day.” 

“I ’ll bring you any time, Nelly,” said George 
quickly. 

Poor fellow ! his warm generous heart had been 
aching ever since he had been there, but, man- 
like, he could think of nothing to do except 
leave something behind him. When he and 
Nelly had left the house the eldest boy came 
running up to his mother with a wad of some- 
thing in his hand. 

16 


242 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ See/* said he triumphantly, “ the man gave 
it to me and said I could get a pair of boots with 
red tops to 'em like Tommy Bryant’s. Can I, 
ma?” 

His mother took the little wad, and, unfolding 
it, disclosed a ten-dollar bill. 

“ Did the gentleman give that to you ? ” she 
asked, hardly able to believe her eyes. 

‘‘Yes, he did,” the boy declared. “ He asked 
me what I wanted more than anything, else and I 
told him a pair of boots with red tops, and he 
gave me that and told me to give it to the store- 
man and I would get the boots. It ’s mine, ain’t 
it, ma? Let me keep it.” 

“ No, you can’t have it,” said the poor be- 
wildered woman, “ I must hide it where your 
father won’t find it ; and mind you do n’t tell 
him about the gentleman’s giving you anything, 
for if he gets hold of it every cent will go for 
drink.” 

Seeing the glorious vision of the red-topped 
boots about to vanish, the eldest heir of the 
family of Black set up a howl in which his 
brother Johnny lustily joined, and their united 
efforts waking the sick girl, the poor mother’s 
hands were full ; but in spite of the confusion her 


THE TEN TALENTS 


243 


heart was lighter than it had been for some time. 
If George had realized that the poor woman had 
not a cent of money to her name, he would 
have given the small boy twenty dollars instead 
of ten to be invested in red-topped boots. 

George and Nelly were both silent as they 
drove away from the poor little house. The 
white road, packed hard and smooth with snow, 
stretched out before them, deserted except for 
a house with lights in the front windows now 
and then outlined against the sky. No sound 
broke the stillness but* the musical jingle of the 
bells, as the horse trotted along, tossing his head 
every once in awhile as though he was enjoying 
the moonlight drive as much as his driver. 

Nelly was the first to break the silence with a 
long-drawn sigh. 

‘‘What is it, Nelly?” asked George, looking 
down into her face which was very grave and 
sober in the moonlight. 

“ When I see people in distress I always carry 
away a burden,” she replied. “ There is so much 
suffering in the world I feel sometimes as though 
I had no right to be happy.” 

“ We can ’t set all the wrong right, Nelly,” said 
George soberly. “ We can only do our part.” 


244 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ My part is so ^all,” said Nelly with another 
sigh. ‘‘ I can do so little.” 

“ Suppose that you felt that your part ought 
to be considerable? That a good deal was ex- 
pected of you ? ” George replied. 

“What do you mean?” asked Nelly. “We 
can only do a little at best ; none of us can set 
all the wrong right.” 

“Yes, but don’t you suppose the fellow with 
the ten talents felt a great responsibility ?” 

“If he did he could only use them so that they 
would gain all they could.” * 

“ But suppose he had kept the whole ten in a 
napkin, as the other fellow did, what a great 
wrong he would have committed. Do you know, 
Nell, I think sometimes I would rather have but 
one.” 

“ The responsibility would be as great,” said 
Nelly quickly. 

“Yes,” said George slowly, “but how much 
worse it would be to bury ten talents than just 
one; that is what I am afraid of doing. You 
know grandfather left me all his property.” 

“ Have you buried it in a napkin ? ” asked 
Nelly, laughing. 

“ No, but what troubles me is what to do with 


THE TEN TALENTS 


245 


my money. I do n’t feel as though I ought to 
lie back and just enjoy myself because I am rich. 
If we are Christians ought we not to consecrate 
our pocket-books as well as our hearts to the 
Lord ? ” 

Of course we ought,” said Nelly decidedly. 

“ How to do it is the question that is troubling 
me,” George continued. “ When grandfather 
died they all expected me to travel about ; mo- 
ther and Violet were all ready to accompany me 
to Europe, but it did n’t seem to me that I ought 
merely to enjoy myself and let my money lie 
idle, though how to put it where it would do 
good was a puzzle. I could walk about the 
streets of New York and give away a pocket full 
to street beggars, and sign my name to subscrip- 
tion-papers every day, but that didn’t seem just 
the right thing, and I was a long while coming to 
a decision.” 

“ Then you have come to one,” said Nelly 
eagerly. “ Have you made your property over 
to an orphan asylum and come here to earn your 
own living? ” 

“ No ; I have n’t given away even a tenth of 
my income,” he replied, “ I ’m going to tell you 
my secret. No one knows it here but Mr. 


246 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

Winterbourn, but I am going to tell you, for I 
want you to help me.” 

“What is it, George?” said Nelly eagerly. 
“ Will it be a very hard secret to keep ? ” 

“ It won’t burden you much. I made up my 
mind to tell you as soon as I learned you were 
here, for I want you to help me. Winterbourn is 
no good in the things I want help in most.” 

“ Please do n’t keep me in suspense, George,” 
pleaded Nelly. “ I feel the way I do when I 
read one number of a serial story.” 

“It is nothing very exciting,” he replied ; “ it 
is only that I have invested part of my property 
in these mills, and am sole owner.” 

“ Why, George ! ” exclaimed Nelly, “ you 
could n’t tell me anything more startling. How 
did you come to do it ? And why are you here 
as timekeeper ? I am a regular interrogation 
point.” 

“ You know the company failed because the 
demand gave out and the mills paid no profits. 
They kept cutting down the wages until at last 
the men could n’t earn enough to support their 
families, then they shut down, and the mills 
would have been left to decay like the one I set 
fire to in Exeter.” 


THE TEN TALENTS 


247 

“ How did you come to know about it?” asked 
Nelly eagerly. 

“ I saw in the papers how the closing of the mills 
had given this town its death-blow, and how many 
men were turned out of employment, and it sud- 
denly occurred to me that that was the work for 
me. You see, Nell, every town has to have busi- 
ness or it will die. This town was without business 
only a year, but it went down rapidly. There was 
no ready money ; every one was afraid to trust 
every one, and the working-class suffered terribly.” 

“So you put money into the mills for the sake 
of the place,” exclaimed Nelly. “ O George, how 
splendid of you ! ” 

“ Every one in this country is for making 
money,” he continued. “ This business had no 
market value because every one knew it was not 
a paying concern ; but I do n’t need to make 
money ; if it pays for itself that is all I care for. 
What I want is to be able to furnish people with 
work, for that is the best thing we can do for any 
one.” 

“ It is just splendid of you, George,” said Nelly 
warmly. “ Mamma will be so glad and proud 
when I tell her. I may tell her, may I not ?” 

“ Yes, of course ; I want you to tell her. I am 


248 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

coming in some evening to lay all my plans 
before you both.” 

“ She said when you were expelled that she 
shouldn’t give you up,” laughed Nelly. 

“ When I look at my mills I feel that I have 
partly redeemed that mischief,” said George 
soberly. “ I do n’t regret it, for it taught me a 
good lesson.” 

“ But why are you playing the prince in dis- 
guise ? ” asked Nelly; ‘‘hiring out to your own 
concern ? ” 

“ I want to keep in the dark so that I can look 
about me. I want to do something beside fur- 
nish people with work.” 

“ If all rich men felt as you do, George,” said 
Nelly, “ a great deal that is wrong in this world 
would be righted.” 

“ Winterbourn thinks I am more than half a 
fool,” laughed George, “ when I tell him what I 
want done ; but I mean that a new order of 
things shall be brought about if it takes me a life- 
time to do it.’’ 

“ What are the changes you want to make, 
George?” asked Nelly eagerly. 

“Have you been down on Water Street?” 
asked George. 


THE TEN TALENTS 


249 


“ No, indeed,” she replied. “ I wanted to go 
down there one evening and see one of my 
scholars who was sick, but Joe would n’t let me, 
and as I have n ’t much time during the day I 
did n ’t go at all.” 

“Joe was right; it is no place for a lady, espe- 
cially in the evening. Every other door is a 
saloon.” 

“ If you can banish them you will be in demand 
in every town and city in the United States.” 

“ I do n’t suppose I can banish them,” said 
George sadly, “ but what I want to put down, if 
I can, is the use of liquor among my work-people ; 
for I don’t want my money to go for rum, and 
will not give employment to men who drink up 
their wages and cause their families to suffer.” 

“ Are there many who do that ? ” asked Nelly. 

“ I have taken some statistics since I have been 
here,” he replied, “ and have found that two- 
thirds of the men working in the mill are married, 
and of those over half drink.” 

“ Are they good workmen ? ” asked Nelly. 

“ A man who drinks can ’t be first-class at any- 
thing,” George replied decidedly. “ If those 
men were sober they could hold superior posi- 
tions and get much better wages.” 


250 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“What can you do?” asked Nelly. “ Do you 
know that sometimes the liquor question seems 
hopeless to me ? ” 

“ There is only one thing I can think of. I 
mean to employ only temperance men. That is 
the plan I have now, and I am here as time- 
keeper so that I can get acquainted with the 
workmen and find out what sort of men they 
are.” 

“You haven’t finished your statistics,” said 
Nelly. “Half of the married men drink; what 
about the single?” 

“ With them I had almost a Sodom experience,” 
he replied, “ for I was afraid I could not find ten 
temperance fellows. They all drink a little, beer 
in summer to keep them cool and in winter to 
keep them warm, and occasional glasses of 
whisky all the year round. But, really, there are 
a number of fine, good fellows in the mills, only 
they keep quiet as to their principles because 
temperance is so very unpopular.” 

“ I feel tempted to echo my old wish,” said 
Nelly. “ Oh that I were a boy so that I could 
help ! ” 

“You can help a hundred times more by being 
a young woman,” said George quickly. 


THE TEN TALENTS 


251 

“ I do n’t see how,” said she dolefully. “ I 
can ’t help those young men.” 

“ But you can help me,” George declared. 
‘You don’t know how thankful I am that I 
found you here in Dedham ! I had n’t forgotten 
you, Nell, if you had me, for somehow you never 
seemed like other girls.” 

“ You must tell me what I can do, George,” 
said Nelly meekly, “ for I really want to help.” 

“ If you can’t help young men you can young 
women/’ said George. “You know there is a 
girls’ boarding-house connected with the mills; 
have you noticed it ? ” 

“Yes, and often thought what an unpleasant 
place it must be ; right in the street, without a 
bush or a tree near it.” 

“ I ’m not satisfied with it at all,” George 
replied. “It is just a put-up place for the girls, 
and has nothing attractive or homelike about it.” 

“Where do they spend their evenings?” asked 
Nelly. 

“ That I do n’t know. They do n’t go to the 
saloons, but the young men from the saloons go 
to them, so the influence reaches them just the 
same.” 

“ Why, George ! ” said Nelly suddenly, “some 


252 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


of those girls go to our Christian Endeavor 
Society. One evening we were gathered round 
the register getting warm when two or three girls 
came in who attracted my attention because they 
laughed and talked rather loudly, so I asked who 
they were, and some one said : ‘ Oh, they are 

some of the mill girls from the boarding house.’ ” 

“ That is just it,” said George, indignantly ; 
“ they are looked down upon. I warrant not one 
of the members do more than bow to them, and 
some do n’t even do that, and yet those girls go 
to the meetings, probably to get some good, and 
want help.” 

“ I was honored by being put on the Social 
Committee,” said Nelly decidedly, “ and I am 
going to get acquainted with those girls. I do n’t 
know as they will feel particularly honored, for I 
am only an insignificant schoolma’am, but I ’ll 
show them that I want to be friends.” 

“ Do you know Sibyl Winterbourn ? ” asked 
George abruptly. 

No,” Nelly replied, “ but I have seen her.” 

George was silent for a few minutes. What- 
ever his thoughts were in regard to his super- 
intendent’s daughter, he did not make them 
known. 


THE TEN TALENTS 


253 

“Have you enjoyed this ride, Nelly?” he 
asked, as they turned into Main Street. 

“ Of course I have,” she replied. “ It was so 
good of you to take me. I can never thank 
you.” 

“ Do n’t try,” said George, jumping out of the 
sleigh as he reached Miss Stone’s. “ I ’m glad I 
have had a chance to tell you my secret. I am 
coming to you whenever I want help ; may I ? ” 

“Yes, indeed, I shall be glad to help you all I 
can.” 

“ I shall come often, then. Good night, now.” 
And, after watching Nelly run up the steps, 
George got into the sleigh and drove away. 


CHAPTER XVII 


MISS winterbourn’s attempt at mission- 
ary WORK 

M ISS SIBYL WINTERBOURN was not a 
young lady of benevolent inclinations, 
and had never taken any interest in charity work. 
She had not troubled herself about other people 
as long as she had plenty of money and leisure 
to indulge in her favorite pursuits and pleasures. 
But lately she had taken a sudden interest in the 
poor people around Dedham, especially those 
connected with the mills. She took to going to 
their houses, inquiring into the state of the chil- 
dren’s wardrobes, leaving shoes, stockings, and 
clothing with a lavish hand. 

At first the people stood rather in awe of this 
stylish young lady, but as time went on, those 
who believe in getting all they can out of other 
people imposed upon her, making large demands 
on her charity, while the sensitive poor, whom it 

254 


AN A TTEMPT A T MISSIONAR Y WORK 255 

is so hard to help, resented her calls and the man- 
ner with which she made her offerings. 

It often happened that the round of charity- 
calls Miss Winterbourn made with her horse 
and sleigh ended at the mills, and as she usually 
drew rein just as the whistle blew she was just in 
time to pick up the timekeeper and carry him 
home. She entertained him during the drive 
with accounts of the calls she had made, and 
was so much in earnest that George often felt 
condemned for the opinion he had formed of 
her when they first met. 

Sibyl gathered a class of little street Arabs into 
the Sunday-school, but was considerably puzzled 
after she got them there as to what she should do 
with them. It was easy enough to get shoes for 
Billy and Tommy, tell their mothers to mend their 
jackets and send them to Sunday-school, but 
when she had them in a row before her, with 
their round eyes fixed on her face, she had not 
the remotest idea what to say to them, and if her 
mysterious boarder had not been so interested in 
her attempt to convert the young heathen, she 
would have left them unmolested to pursue the 
evil of their ways. But George was looking on, 
so she must do what she could. Standing up 


256 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


before them, she began to ask the questions on 
the lesson-leaf. The boys stared, whispered, 
giggled, and nudged each other, but not one of 
them made any attempt to answer. 

“ Freddy Bangs,” said Sibyl severely, address- 
ing the first boy in the row, “ do n’t you know 
who David was, or what position he occu- 
pied ? ” 

“ No, ma’am, unless he was President of the 
United States,” said this new object of mission- 
ary effort. 

It would have done Sibyl good to have boxed 
the ears of the young scamp, but that was not 
customary in Sabbath-school teaching, no matter 
how successful it might prove, so she persevered, 
going through the list of questions, firmly re- 
solved never to do it again, no matter how much 
interest their boarder showed in such good works, 
for the boys talked out loud, made impudent re- 
plies, cracked peanuts, throwing the shells at 
each other and the boys in neighboring classes, 
until the attention of the whole school was at- 
tracted to them, and Sibyl’s face was flushed 
with shame and anger. 

As soon as the school was dismissed Sibyl 
went straight to the superintendent. 


AJV A TTEMP T AT MISSION A R Y WORK. 257 

“ I can ’t teach those boys,” said she. “ I got 
them into the school, but some one else must 
teach them.” 

“You did have a hard time this morning,” said 
the gentleman kindly. “ It requires tact to man- 
age such boys. Miss Winterbourn.” 

“ Tact that I have n’t got,” said Sibyl decidedly. 
“ I do n’t care to be insulted every Sunday by a 
row of impudent boys. If you know any one who 
does, you can give them the class.” 

“ I wonder how Miss Jackson would do? ” said 
the superintendent thoughtfully. 

“ Miss Jackson ? ” repeated Sibyl. 

“Yes, she knows how to manage boys; the 
high-school scholars all adore her.” 

“ But she has a class.” 

“ Any one can take those little girls of hers,” 
said the gentleman. “If you do n’t mind, I would 
like to try her with those boys.” 

“ I do n’t care who takes them,” Sibyl replied, 
“ as long as I do n’t have to go near them 
again.” 

“ Very well ; then I will speak to Miss Jackson 
and ask her to take the class. You have done 
your part in gathering them in.” 

George was full of sympathy with Sibyl, who 

17 


258 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

had gotten over her anger and was ready to laugh 
over her failure when she met him. 

“ My talents do not lie in the direction of small 
boys,” said she. “ I ’m afraid they do not appre- 
ciate the attention I paid them.” 

“ They ought not to be lost hold of,” said 
George. “ They ought to have a teacher and be 
kept in the school.” 

“ Oh, yes,” replied Sibyl. I should not let 
them go after the pains I have taken to get them. 
Mr. Perkins thought Miss Jackson might be a 
good one to take them ; she is used to teaching, 
you know.” 

“ I ’m glad he thought of her,” said George, his 
face lighting up. “ She will hold on to them and 
do them good if any one can.” 

^‘No doubt she will know how to manage 
them,” said Sibyl, “ for I suppose she Js used to 
impudent boys.” 

It would n’t be well for the high-school boys 
to be impudent to her in Joe’s hearing,” laughed 
George. 

“ Of course there is a wide step between the 
high-school boys and those Arabs,” said Sibyl. 

1 meant that Miss Jackson had probably en- 
countered some pretty rough specimens in her 


AN A TTEMPT A T MISSION A R Y WORK 259 

district-school teaching. She is a poor girl, I be- 
lieve, and, of course, has not always taught in 
places like our high-school.” 

“I think she is just the one to manage those 
boys,” said George quietly, “ and would be if she 
had not taught a day of school in her life.” 

“Are you much acquainted with her?” asked 
Sibyl curiously. 

“ I have known her some time,” he replied 
briefly. Somehow he never cared to talk about 
Nelly with Sibyl. 

“ I have not met her,” said Sibyl smoothly, 
“ but I should like to very much.” 

George made no comment on this, and Sibyl 
was unable to learn from him anything concern- 
ing his past acquaintance with the high-school 
assistant. 

A few days after, Sibyl, in her sleigh, turned 
the corner and drove slowly to the mills. The 
whistle had just blown, and the hands were pour- 
ing out, women and girls throwing on their out- 
side garments as they hurried along, for they had 
only an hour at noon. Instead of merely eat- 
ing their dinners, they swallowed their food as 
quickly as possible, for there was always a little 
washing, ironing or mending which they counted 


26 o 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


on their nooning to finish. There was no lingering 
over the table to chat, with any of the mill-hands. 

As they hurried along, many cast envious, 
spiteful glances at the slowly-moving sleigh, and 
its stylish young lady driver ; for Mr. Winterbourn 
was not beloved by the work-people, and they did 
not see why his daughter should ride while they 
walked, be a fine lady while they were looked 
down upon as mill-hands ; for such is the per- 
versity of Americans, they will believe that all 
men ought to be free and equal, in spite of every- 
thing to the contrary. 

Right at the heels of the mill-hands was a group 
of boys. 

“Holloa, teacher!” bawled out one of the 
urchins. “ What you going to give me for goin’ 
to Sunday-school ? ” 

“ I want somethin’ on the Christmas-tree,” 
yelled another. “ I ain’t agoin’ to Sunday- 
school for nothin’.” 

“ I ain’t agoin’ to learn no verse,” chimed in a 
third. 

Sibyl checked her horse, her face flushed with 
anger. 

“ Boys,” said she, “ do n’t you know better than 
to speak to a lady that way on the street ? ” 


A AT A TTEMPT A T MISSIONAR Y WORK 2 6 1 

“We do n’t know nothin’,’’ they shouted in 
reply. “We do n’t care about your *David ; he ’s 
slow. Give us suthin’ about Bill Jarvis, the De- 
tective, if you want to fetch us.” 

“ I shall not do anything for you after this,” 
said Sibyl angrily, “ if I can ’t meet you on the 
street without being insulted. You are an impu- 
dent, disgusting set of boys.” 

As she gathered up her reins to drive on, a 
snowball whizzed by her head, just grazing the 
brim of her hat, but a second did not follow, for 
the urchin who threw it was suddenly seized 
from the rear by the coat-collar, suspended in the 
air for a few seconds, then ignominiously landed 
in a snowbank alongside of the road. 

“Do n’t you know any better than to throw 
snowballs at afady?” demanded George, looking 
threateningly down on the boy. “ It is well for 
you there is n’t a policeman in sight, or you 
would be handed over to him before you could 
tell whether you were on your head or your 
heels.” 

The rest of the young scamps had vanished 
with the agility for which their class is famous, 
but the one George had collared lay meekly on 
his back looking up in the young man’s face. 


262 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ It did n’t hit her,” he explained. “ It shied 
right by her hat.” 

“You had better think twice' before you shy 
another one, or you will find yourself in the lock- 
up some fine day. Now off with you, and bear 
in mind what I say.” 

George picked him up out of the snowbank, 
and with another shake dismissed him — a sadder 
and wiser boy. 

Sibyl welcomed George with her brightest smile 
as she beckoned for him to take a seat in the sleigh. 

“ I do n’t know what I should have done if 
you had not come along, Mr. Arlington,” said she. 
“ I do n’t know that you saved my life, but you 
certainly did my hat, for another of my hopeful 
pupils had one all ready to send, which might not 
have shied by.” 

“ Lawless little imps ! ” said George. “ It did 
me good to shake him. I wish I could have 
seized them all.” 

“ I shall warn Miss Jackson to avoid this street 
if she takes the class. Do you think it is possible 
to civilize them, Mr. Arlington ? ” 

“ Oh yes,” said George cheerfully. “ They are 
bright little scamps ; something can be made of 
them.” 


A AT A TTEMP T AT MISS /ON A R Y WORK 2 63 

“ I am utterly discouraged,” said Sibyl, with a 
sigh, “ for nothing I do or say has any effect on 
them.” 

“That shaldng will have an effect on that 
youngster,” laughed George. “ It will do him as 
much good as a Sunday-school lesson.” 

“ I do n't know what I should have done if 
you had not come to my rescue,” said Sibyl with 
a grateful glance. 

“ I ’m glad I happened to come along,” he re- 
plied. “ It did me good to administer the shak- 
ing.” 

Mr. Perkins made it his especial business to 
see Miss Jackson and ask her to take the class 
they had gathered out of the by-ways and hedges. 

“ Do you really want me to take them ? ” she 
asked eagerly. 

“ Yes ; Miss Winterbourn gathered them into 
the school and intended to teach them, but her 
talents do not lie in that direction. She doesn’t 
like boys and has given up the class. We don’t 
want to lose them, so I make bold to ask you to 
take them, Miss Jackson. It will be quite an 
undertaking, and I should not blame you if you 
refused after you saw Miss Winterbourn’s trials 
last Sunday.” 


264 the young capitalist 

“Why, Mr. Perkins,” exclaimed Nelly, “I 
would like nothing better than to have that class. 
I rather envied Miss Winterbourn last Sunday.” 

“ I am delighted to hear you say so,” said the 
superintendent in a relieved tone. “ Honestly, 
they are not so bad if they are managed right.” 

“ I like boys,” replied Nelly, “ and have had 
considerable experience with them, so am not 
easily shocked.” 

The superintendent thanked her again, then 
took his departure, congratulating himself that 
Miss Winterbourn had sense enough to resign 
the class when she found out she could not teach 
it. 

The next Sunday every boy was in his place, 
on the lookout for more fun, and many cast 
curious glances in their direction, and exchanged 
comments on those horrid boys in the corner. 

Before he opened the school Mr. Perkins 
escorted Nelly to the class and introduced her 
as their teacher. The boys received her with 
stares, making no reply to her pleasant greeting, 
but during the opening exercises exchanged com- 
ments freely among themselves. 

“ I say, we Ve got a new one to-day.” 

Ain’t quite so fine as t’ other one.” 


A AT A TTEMFT A T MISSIONAR Y WORK 265 

“We boosted her last Sunday. Won’t ketch 
her coming here again asking us questions about 
David.” 

“We ’ll scare this one off to-day, and have a 
new one every week.” 

Possibly these boys were rather proud of the 
honor paid them by the young ladies; but if they 
were in hopes of being treated to a new teacher 
every Sunday they were disappointed, for Nelly 
was not scared off, but remained bravely at her 
post. 

A good many looked over to the class in the 
corner and wondered what Miss Jackson was 
saying to keep those boys so quiet. Mr. Perkins 
beamed with satisfaction, and, going up to Miss 
Winterbourn, who was watching her successor in 
missionary labor, whispered : 

“You see I was right; I knew she could tame 
them.” 

She had certainly tamed them, but how she 
did it was a mystery. George glanced at her every 
once in a while, and wished he could hear what 
she was saying. She had neither Bible nor lesson- 
leaf, but sat in the midst of the boys, talking 
earnestly, while they, in not very elegant lounging 
attitudes, listened to every word she was saying. 


266 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Nelly would not have cared to have had any 
one listen to her, for it might have shocked some 
people to have heard a Sunday-school teacher 
telling her class about Jean Valjean, the convict, 
and the old bishop from whom he stole the 
silver, instead of King David and little Samuel. 
But when Nelly sat down with her class, and 
asked if any of them could tell her what the 
lesson was about, they declared they did n’t 
know anything about the Bible, and would n’t 
listen to anything from it. It was too slow for 
young gentlemen who fed their imaginations 
on the adventures of “ Merciless Ben, the Hair 
Lifter.” 

“Very well,” said Nelly quietly, “ I will tell 
you about something that is not in the Bible,” 
and immediately launched into a graphic descrip- 
tion of the first scene in Victor Hugo’s greatest 
novel. 

The boys listened spellbound, and when the 
story was finished a free discussion was opened 
by Freddy Bangs declaring that the bishop was 
an old fool. Nelly let them freely express their 
opinions, but turned the discussion into a new 
channel by asking if they did not suppose the 
bishop would willingly part with his silver for 


AJV A TTEMPT A T MISSIONAR Y WORK 267 

the sake of a,bad man becoming good. “ Is n’t a 
man’s character worth more than silver or gold?” 
she asked. 

The discussion was very interesting, and the 
opinions advanced were both shrewd. and sharp ; 
but before the bell rang for silence they had all 
come to the conclusion that Jean Valjean’s soul 
was worth more than the bishop’s silver spoons 
and candlesticks. 

As soon as the school closed Mr. Perkins and 
George both came to congratulate Nelly on her 
success ; and seeing George talking to the high- 
school assistant, Sibyl made haste to join them. 
George introduced the two young ladies, and 
Sibyl exclaimed : 

“ I ’m so glad you lived through the session. 
Miss Jackson ! Those dreadful boys nearly killed 
me last Sunday.” 

‘‘Why, they are not very bad,” said Nelly 
smiling. “ They might be ever so much worse.” 

“ You completely charmed them,” said Mr. 
Perkins. “ I expect they will be transformed 
into model Sunday-school scholars in a few 
weeks.” 

“ Do n’t set your hopes very high,” said Nelly. 
“ I have n’t really done anything yet, only made 


268 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


a beginning by interesting them that they 
will want to come again.” 

“That is just what we want,” said the superin- 
tendent warmly. “ You ’ll do, Miss Jackson,” and 
with a gay nod he left them.” 


CHAPTER XVIII 


nelly’s effort on the social committee 



RE you going out this evening, Miss Jack- 


^ son?” asked Miss Augusta as she entered 
her neighbor’s room after tea one night, and 
found Nelly arrayed in her best gown. 

“Yes, and I was going to ask you if you 
could n’t bring your sewing in here and sit with 
mamma so that she won’t be lonesome? ” 

“ Nelly thinks I ’m not to be trusted alone,” 
said Mrs. Jackson, smiling. “ I would be very 
glad to have you. Miss Stone. No matter if you 
do leave a few cuttings and bastings on the 
floor ; they are easily swept up.’‘ 

“Where are you going. Miss Jackson?” asked 
the dressmaker, seating herself before the open 
Franklin. 

“ I am going to the church parlors,” replied 
Nelly. “ Our Endeavor Society is going to give 
a Whittier evening. Each member replies to his 


269 


270 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


name with a verse of poetry from Whittier, and 
morning, noon and night the boys have come to 
my desk for me to find them two lines ; none of 
them are willing to say more than that.” 

Chatting merrily Nelly got into her wraps, and 
bidding the ladies good-bye, she started for the 
vestry. 

The Endeavor Society had socials once a 
month, but this was the first one Nelly had at- 
tended since she had been honored by being on 
the Social Committee, and, remembering her talk 
with George, she determined to try a plan she 
had been thinking about for some time. A num- 
ber of the girls from the mills, and some who 
did work in people’s kitchens, belonged to the 
society, but at the socials they usually kept in 
a group by themselves looking on at the others. 
Sibyl Winterbourn said they could not do any- 
thing with that class of people, but Nelly meant 
to try and see if something could not be done, 
though she said nothing of her plan to any one, 
for she had no intimate girl friends in Dedham. 

The large room was bare of furniture, except a 
row of seats placed along the wall, and as they 
soon filled up it was quite an ordeal to cross from 
one side to the other. 


NELLY ON THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE 271 

“ If there is anything the Ded'ham people need 
to learn,” said Nelly to Joe, “it is how to conduct 
a social.” 

The young schoolmaster hated socials as much 
as he did parties, and only a strong sense of duty 
caused him to attend one. 

“ It struck me that they are a trifle worse here 
than they are elsewhere,” he replied. 

“They are dreadful ! ” declared Nelly. “ What 
idiot do you suppose arranged these seats? We 
look like a row of wallflowers.” 

“ George is the only one who has courage to 
stand up and move about. I wish I knew how 
to manage my arms and legs as well as he does,” 
and Joe heaved a sigh of envy as he watched his 
friend, who was being consulted by Miss Winter- 
bourn on some question of importance. 

“ There is a row of our boys down by the door, 
twiddling their thumbs and trying to appear at 
their ease. I ’m going to talk to them, and it is 
really your duty, Joe, to go and make yourself 
agreeable to that bashful little Miss Snow.” 

“ It is not my duty,” said Joe solemnly, “ for I 
am as bashful as she is, and we would only both 
be more uncomfortable. George is the one you 
ought to send on that errand.’* 


272 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


But Nelly had not spoken to George during the 
evening, and, instead of following Joe’s advice, 
she went to the boys, who welcomed her with 
delight ; for Miss Jackson was a great favorite 
with her scholars. She staid with them while the 
poems were being read and recited, and the quo- 
tations given ; then, when the refreshments had 
broken the ice a little, she made her way back to 
Joe. 

“ Suppose we show these people what our idea 
of a social is,” said she. 

What do you mean ? ” he asked. 

“ Do you see those girls lining the other side 
of the room ? They all work in the mills, or 
wash the dishes in some one’s kitchen, and the 
young ladies and gentlemen on this side of the 
room have hardly spoken to them. What I want 
to do is to mix them all up together.” 

“How are you going to do it ?” asked Joe, 
doubtfully. 

“ That is where I want your help. Do you re- 
member a game we used to play when we were 
young, called Boston Exchange?” 

“ They blindfold a poor victim, and then make 
him catch one or two other victims ; do n’t 
they?” 


NELLY ON THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE 273 

“ That is it,” said Nelly. It is not an intel- 
lectual game, but it is all the better for mixing 
purposes. Now I want you to help me start it.” 

‘‘Why don’t you ask George?” objected Joe. 
“ He can do it better than I can.” 

“You must not try to shift your responsibili- 
ties on to George,” said Nelly, gravely. “ It is 
your duty, Joe, to help me start the game, and 
be first blindman.” 

Joe heaved a comical sigh, but made no fur- 
ther objections, and with the aid of the high 
school boys, who entered into the game with 
spirit, they got the seats pushed into the centre 
of the room, so as to form a square. 

Nelly went up to the girls for whose sake she 
was making the effort, and, explaining the game, 
asked them to join. They were ready for any- 
thing, and, with the high school boys, filled up 
half the seats, while the rest of the young people 
looked on in surprise at these arrangements. 
George had not been in Nelly’s vicinity for the 
evening, for somehow Miss Winterbourn had en- 
gaged most of his attention, but when he saw her 
pushing a seat into place, he sprang to her assist- 
ance, asking: 

“ What are you planning, Nelly ?” 


274 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ We are going to play Boston Exchange,” she 
explained. 

“ We used to play that in old Exeter, did n’t 
we ? ” said he eagerly. “ It will seem like old 
times.” 

Thanks to George, Nelly’s plan was a success, 
for, seeing Mr. Arlington entering into it, the 
others were ready to join, and Sibyl Winterbourn 
came up to Nelly, asking curiously : 

“ What is it ? Blindman’s buff ? ” 

Nelly explained the game, and the young lady 
said patronizingly : 

‘‘ I never played anything of the kind in my 
life, but I will to-night just for the novelty 
of it.” 

“Are you ready, Nelly?” asked George, who 
had tied the handkerchief over his own eyes, to 
Joe’s great satisfaction. 

“In a minute,” Nelly replied. “Wait till I 
number them.” 

That done, the game commenced, and proved 
a success, for those who had treated the idea with 
contempt at first, got interested in spite of them- 
selves, and in their desire not to get caught, they 
looked to every one for help, and were mixed 
up quite to Nelly’s satisfaction. 


NELLY ON THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE 275 

Are you satisfied ? ” asked Joe, as Nelly sank 
breathlessly into a seat by his side. 

“ Yes, I am,” she replied, “ for they have really 
got waked up. Do see Miss Winterbourn run ! 
I did n’t know she could do such a thing.” 

They broke up at a late hour, merry and breath- 
less, and went home declaring it to be the best 
social they had ever attended. 

“ That was a good idea of yours, Nelly,” said 
George. ‘‘ I do n’t know when I ’ve had such 
a good time. It reminded me of the gay old 
parties we used to have at Exeter.” 

“Yes,” said Sibyl, joining them, looking very 
pretty in the white evening hood which she had 
thrown over her dark hair. “ Every one is saying 
what a nice social it has been, and I think it must 
be because you started that game. Miss Jackson. 
It was a little rough, but I suppose it just suited 
some who were here. Mr. Arlington, will you be 
so kind as to carry home a basket for me? It 
has dishes in it and is quite heavy.” 

George followed in the direction Sibyl beck- 
oned, and Nelly turned away, feeling a little dis- 
appointed that she could not talk it over with 
George, for it had been for the sake of helping in 
the work he was trying to do, that she had made 


276 the young capitalist 

an effort to cause the girls from the mills to enjoy 
the Christian Endeavor social. 

A few days after the social there came a tap at 
the recitation-room door. Thinking one of her 
scholars was wanted, Nelly opened it, book in 
hand, to find a tall, stylish young lady, with 
roguish dark eyes, standing in the hall. Nelly 
stared for a moment, and then, with a little cry, 
seized hold of her with both hands. 

“Violet Arlington ! Is it really you ? ” 

“Yes, it is I, Nell,” she replied, “ and I am 
glad I have found you at last, for I have blundered 
round, in search of you, into all sorts of odd 
places.” 

“ Where did you come from ? Oh dear ! ” said 
Nelly, suddenly remembering her class, who were 
looking on at the meeting, greatly interested, “ I 
can ’t talk now, but come in and sit down where 
I can look at you.” 

Nelly returned to her class, but having Violet 
where she could look at her rather took her 
mind off poor John Bunyan, the subject of the 
literature lesson. To think that Violet, actually, 
dear old Violet, was sitting there before her! 
How handsome she looked in her stylish suit 1 
Everything was perfect about her from the dainty 


NELLY ON THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE 277 

little hat to the patent-leather tips of her nar- 
row little shoes. Never was the bell from the 
schoolroom recalling the class more welcome to 
Nelly than it was that morning. 

“You dear creature! Where did you come 
from?” cried Nelly, rushing up to Violet the 
moment the last scholar left the room. 

“ I was determined to surprise you all, and I 
did,” said Violet gleefully. “ But is this the way 
you teach, Nelly, — you up-stairs and Joe down ? ” 
“ Yes, I have all my recitations here. How 
did you find your way up ? ” 

“ Oh, I blundered along,” she replied, laugh- 
ing. “ First I knocked at the schoolroom 
door, and out came Joe. I shouldn’t have 
known him anywhere else, he has changed so. 
He stared as though he saw a ghost, and blurted 
out: ‘ Are you Violet Arlington ? ’ then blushed 
as red as a rooster, and stammered, ‘ Miss Ar- 
lington, I mean.’ ” 

“Poor Joe!” laughed Nelly. “I don’t won- 
der he blushed and stammered.” 

“ Is he as bashfuj as ever? ” 

“ No, he is just as nice as he can be. Did you go 
into the schoolroom, Vi? He is a fine teacher.” 
“No, I inquired for you, and he sent me up 


278 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

here, but I blundered first into the laboratory 
where two youths stared me out of countenance, 
and then into a hall. What a fine establishment 
you have here ! ” 

“ Yes, but how happened you to come here ? " 

“ That girl George boards with took to writing 
to me, and gave me such a pressing invitation to 
make her a visit that I thought I would accept, and 
walked in upon them last night. No one knew I 
was coming but Sibyl. She is real nice ; is n’t she ?” 

‘‘Yes,” Nelly assented, but not very warmly. 
She could not admire Sibyl Winterbourn. 

The next class coming in put an end to the 
conversation. Violet remained in the recitation- 
room all the morning watching Nelly teach her 
classes in the thorough, whole-hearted manner 
which marks the true teacher. At noon they 
found Joe waiting for them in the hall below, 
and the three left the schoolhouse together. 

“ Does n’t it seem like old times ? ” exclaimed 
Nelly. “We can almost imagine that we have 
just left Exeter Academy. I am so glad to see 
you again, Violet ! ” 

“ I am glad somebody is glad to see me,” said 
Violet, with a laugh. “That brother of mine, 
instead of being overwhelmed with joy when I 


NELLY ON THE SOCIAL COMMITTEE 279 

walked in upon him last night, .just stared for a 
moment to make sure that I was substantial flesh 
and blood, then coolly wanted to know what I 
had come for.” 

“No doubt he was glad to see you,” said Joe, 
“ if he did take your arrival so calmly.” 

“ No, I do n’t think he was,” said Violet frankly. 
“ He does n’t want me here, but I am going to 
stay just the same.” 

“ Never mind,” said Nelly in a comforting 
tone, “ the rest of us want you whether he does 
or not. Won’t you come home to dinner with 
me? Mamma will be so glad to see you.” 

“ I would like to, ever so much,” said Violet 
frankly, “ but I ’m afraid Sibyl would n’t like it. 
She did n’t want me to go down to school this 
morning, but I could n’t live another minute with- 
out seeing you. I told George last night that I 
had come to see you and not him, so I did n’t 
care whether he wanted me or not.” 

Nelly did not urge Violet to come with her, for 
she felt that Violet, as the guest of Sibyl Winter- 
bourn, could not give her all the time she wanted. 
Years bring about many changes, but Nelly felt 
that it was Sibyl Winterbourn and not the lapse of 
time, that stood between her and her old friends. 


CHAPTER XIX 


MISS AUGUSTA’S RIVAL 

T he mischief was all caused by Nelly’s new 
dress. If she had not bought it, or, rather, 
if she had not committed the enormous crime of 
taking it to Nina Edwards to be cut and made, 
she would not have made an enemy of Miss 
Stone. 

Nelly pitied Nina. She told her mother that 
she reminded her of Glory McWhirk, who was 
always looking on at other people’s pleasure, and 
she always thought of that forlorn maiden’s 
favorite expression, “ Sech lots of good times in 
the world, and I ain’t in ’em,” whenever she passed 
the young dressmaker’s rooms and saw her sew- 
ing by the window. 

Nina belonged to the church Nelly attended, 
and was there every Sunday, dressed in an unfash- 
ionable coat, and a hat trimmed with faded rib- 
bon ; but Nelly never met her at any of the 
280 


MISS AUGUSTA^S RIVAL 


281 


merrymakings or social gatherings of the church, 
for she lived a shut-in life, plain without but 
beautiful within, with a beauty that would blos- 
som in heaven with a loveliness that would 
astonish every eye. 

Nina supported a widowed mother and an 
invalid sister, and that was why she was thin and 
pale, and her clothes were faded and old-fash- 
ioned. 

To happy, warm-hearted Nelly there was some- 
thing very pathetic about this girl, just her own 
age, who lived such a -flavorless life, and she 
longed to do something for her. But it was hard 
to get acquainted with Nina. Nelly tried walking 
home from church with her, nodding brightly 
when she passed her window, and sometimes run- 
ning in on her way from school, but Nina retired 
into a shell and closed the door against her, so 
that Nelly seemed to make no headway at all in 
her efforts towards friendship. 

When she bought her new dress, Nelly carried 
it down to Nina to make. Miss Stone, she 
thought, would not blame her for trying to help 
the poor, pale dressmaker, who had a mother and 
sister to support, for that lady was comfortable 
and happy and had all the work she could do. 


282 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


But Miss Augusta did blame her ; in fact, she 
never quite forgave Nelly for taking work to her 
poor, patient rival, and was so cool and distant 
that Mrs. Jackson noticed it. 

“ I ’m afraid Miss Stone does n’t like it because 
you took your dress to Nina,” said she, as they 
were eating their supper one night at their little 
round table. 

I know she does n’t,” Nelly replied, “but I 
do n’t care if Miss Stone does put me out of her 
good graces. Oh, mamma, my heart just aches 
for Nina ! She told me to-day that her eyes were 
giving out, and she would have to give up sewing 
or wear glasses, and she does n’t see how she 
can afford to have her eyes fitted. Oh, I wish I 
could do something for her besides merely get- 
ting her to cut my dress ! ” 

“You have done something,” Mrs. Jackson re- 
plied. “You must have won her heart by your 
sympathy or she would not have told you her 
troubles.” 

Mrs. Jackson was right. To none of her 
other customers would Nina have confided the 
trouble that was worrying her so that she could 
not sleep nights ; but, unconsciously, she had 
opened her heart and let Nelly in. 


M/SS AUGUSTA'S RIVAL 


283 


At the same time that Nelly began noticing the 
pale dressmaker at her work, Nina commenced 
watching the young teacher on her way to and 
from school, rather envying her her bright face 
and springing step, thinking bitterly that she had 
an education which enabled her to earn her living 
without bending over her needle all day. 

When Nelly began to try and get acquainted 
with the dressmaker, Nina did not meet her even 
half way. She was shy with strangers and could 
not talk on the hundred-and-one nothings girls chat- 
ter about. But gradually, little by little, Nelly 
won her way ; and when she left Miss Stone, the 
popular dressmaker, and brought her bundle of 
dress-goods down to her, Nina’s heart was un- 
locked, and in the discussions over the new dress 
the two girls became fast friends. 

Nina never enjoyed fitting any one as sheen- 
joyed fitting Nelly. To be sure Nelly talked 
nonsense most of the time, but when the non- 
sense caused Nina to forget her worries and enjoy 
a good, hearty laugh, it was better than sense. 
Nelly went home with Nina one night, and was 
introduced to her mother and the sister, whose 
arm was so drawn out of shape with rheumatism 
that she was helpless and a burden ; and after that 


284 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Nelly and her mother took to going there often, 
and seldom empty-handed, for books for the in- 
valid, flowers from Mrs. Thornton’s plants, and 
often specimens of Nelly’s Saturday cooking, were 
left behind them. 

Miss Stone took note of all these things, and 
communed in the bitterness of her heart on the 
ungratefulness of her tenants, who, after she had 
taken them in, turned and thus basely ministered 
to her rival. She might have given them warn- 
ing, but Miss Stone found the cash Nelly paid 
her every month very convenient, and it was 
pleasant to have people in the other part of the 
house, which used to be so silent and full of 
echoes. And then her neighbors were very help- 
ful. Nelly did errands for her, and Mrs. Jackson 
often came in and helped her with her work 
when she was driven, and in the evenings Miss 
Stone enjoyed going into their part of the house, 
which was so much pleasanter than her own. 
No, it was much easier to say spiteful things 
about Nelly, and gossip about her neighbors to 
her customers than to give them warning and 
thus be the loser herself. 

One Saturday afternoon when a fine mist was 
taking off the snow and making the crossings all 


M/SS AUGUSTA'S RIVAL 


285 


ice, Nelly filled her basket with cream puffs she 
had made, among other good things, that morn- 
ing, and, with a couple of books under her arm, 
started for Mrs. Edwards’. She had gotten into 
the habit of going there every Saturday, and the 
sick girl would have missed her sadly if anything 
had prevented her coming. 

The mist was almost a rain, so with her um- 
brella firmly grasped in one hand, and her books 
and basket in the other, she started out. The 
good sleighing had disappeared, and though the 
pavements were bare the streets were very icy, 
and in some places almost dangerous. At the 
corner was one of the icy crossings which she 
must get over some way. It was not only slip- 
pery but a little slanting, which made it all the 
worse. 

“ If I go it will be in a lump,” she thought, 
pausing before making the plunge, “ basket, um- 
brella and all, and my precious puffs will be 
utterly spoiled. But perhaps I won’t go, as I am 
pretty sure-footed. I ’ll put my trust in Provi- 
dence and cross the Rubicon.” 

Firmly grasping her umbrella and basket she 
started out, but had not advanced a dozen steps 
before her feet began to slip. To take a step 


286 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


forward was to go down altogether, to stand still 
would probably result in a slide down the hill, at 
the bottom of which was a span of horses. She 
tried to balance herself by means of her umbrella 
but that only served to hasten her destruction. 

“ I ’m lost,” she thought in despair. “ If only 
that man will mercifully stop his horses and not 
run over me ! ” 

A young man coming up the street saw her 
dilemma and hurried to her assistance, but be- 
fore he could reach her, an urchin hopped over 
the ice, and, reaching out his hand, said eagerly : 

“ Let me take your things. Miss Jackson, then 
mebbe you can get along.” 

Oh, Freddy Bangs! ” cried Nelly in delight, 
“ if you will take my basket in one hand, and tow 
me across with the other, I ’ll bless you forever.” 

Freddy instantly seized the basket, reckless 
of its contents, and firmly grasping his teacher 
arrested her downward progress, and brought her 
safely to land. 

“ Thank you, Freddy,” said Nelly, receiving 
back her basket. “ I do n’t know what would 
have become of me if you had not happened 
along. How is it boys can always stand up no 
matter how slippery it is ? ” 



FREDDY BANGS AS AN ESCORT 




MISS AUGUSTA’S RIVAL 


287 


Freddy grinned with delight. It made him 
feel several inches taller to think he had been 
able to help Miss Jackson. 

George overtook Nelly just as Freddy was 
skipping back to his employment of chopping 
ice before one of the stores. 

“ The result of your teaching,” said he, think- 
ing of the day he had given Freddy Bangs 
a shaking for snowballing his Sunday-school 
teacher. 

“ I do n’t teach manners in Sunday-school,” 
she replied. “ We have regular Bible lessons 
now.” 

“ Result of influence then,” said George. 

May I take the basket ? There was a time 
when Master Fred would have stood by and 
laughed at your dilemma, instead of going gal- 
lantly to the rescue.” 

“ I do n’t believe it,” said Nelly stoutly. 
‘‘Fred is a real chivalrous little fellow.” 

“ I knew him before you did, Nelly,” replied 
George, “ and when I first made his acquaintance 
nothing would have induced him to help a young 
lady over the ice.” 

“ I ’m glad he has improved,” said Nelly, “ for 
he is a dear boy. I think everything of him, 


288 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


though he is a trial in Sunday-school, he is so full 
of mischief. I wonder why it is that scholars 
who cause their teachers the most trouble are 
always the favorites ? ” 

“ I did n’t know they were,” laughed George. 
“ I never was a favorite with my teachers though 
I was the plague of their lives. Joe and Frank 
were the models in our class.” 

“ Frank did just as much mischief as you, only 
he was sly and did n’t get caught,” said Nelly 
bluntly. 

But Joe was always quiet and attentive, “ re- 
plied George. “ Did he ever tell you how we 
boys used to pick upon him and make fun of 
him?” 

“ No, Joe never tells tales unless he thinks it 
is his duty,” said Nelly with a smile. 

He is a rare good fellow,” said George 
warmly. 

It had been a hard day for the sick girl, and 
Nelly’s coming cheered her up immensely. 
Nelly insisted upon her eating one of the puffs 
at once, to see if she had had good luck with her 
Saturday’s baking, and between the delicious 
mouthfuls Nelly rehearsed her adventures. 

“ It is a wonder I got here alive,” said she. 


f 


MISS A UGUS TA * 6 ’ RIVA L 289 

‘‘ You know how hilly it is at the corner of Main 
and Elm streets ; well, I began to slide down on 
the ice there, looking like the distracted female out 
in the rain, that represents March in the almanac, 
my umbrella and basket held at right angles. I 
should have kept on sliding until I landed at the 
feet of a span of horses if Freddy Bangs had not 
appeared like an angel of mercy and steered my 
bark safely across.” 

‘‘Was that Freddy Bangs who stopped at the 
gate with you ? ” asked the sick girl. 

“ No, that was Mr. George Arlington. He came 
along after the show was over and took charge of 
the puffs the rest of the way, or there is no know- 
ing whether they would have got here safe or 
not.” 

“ They are delicious,” said the girl. “ You are 
a famous cook, Nelly.” 

“ I am rather proud of my good things,” she 
replied. “ Miss Stone comes in every Saturday 
night to feast on lemon pie. She pays me the 
honor of saying she never ate such nice ones as I 
make.” 

“ These puffs are the nicest things I ever ate,” 
said Mrs. Edwards, surveying the plateful she was 
putting away for tea. 

19 


290 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ It is too bad for you to come over in the 
storm just to bring them,” said the sick girl grate- 
fully. 

“ This is nothing but a ‘ January thaw,’ ” said 
Nelly gaily. “ I do n’t mind it in the least.” 

“ It must be so nice to be well and strong and 
able to go about as you do,” said the other girl, 
looking wistfully into the bright, winsome face 
before her. 

“ I am going to wear my new dress to-morrow,” 
said Nelly, to divert her thoughts. “ It is a 
triumph of Nina’s skill. You must be on the 
lookout for it at church, Mrs. Edwards. I am 
going to wear it down here some day, so that 
you can see it,” she added turning to the invalid. 

“ I ’m afraid Miss Stone won’t like your going 
to Nina,” said the widow anxiously. 

“ Oh, Miss Stone is not a dog in the manger,” 
said Nelly gaily. “This is a free country, and 
she won’t try and poison my tea because I took 
my dress to Nina. But I must not stay any 
longer as I am going way round by Chestnut 
Street to avoid that piece of ice, for I ’m afraid 
Freddy won’t be near to lend a hand a second 
time. Good-bye,” and Nelly departed, leaving a 
bright spot to mark the sick girl’s long, dull day. 


CHAPTER XX 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 

TT 7E ’LL have to fight for it, Arlington, but, 

» ’ mark my words, we ’ll carry the day ; I ’m 
not afraid of fighting to gain my end.” 

Mr. Winterbourn walked excitedly up and 
down the library, while George stood leaning 
against the chimneypiece watching him. The 
young man had never seen his superintendent so 
excited before. 

“ I think there can be no doubt of success,” 
said George, “the town is so strongly Demo- 
cratic.” 

“ But they have split on this confounded 
‘ Citizens’ Ticket,’ ” said Mr. Winterbourn, swing- 
ing round on his heels like a dancing-master as 
he paced the long room. “ That is the trouble. 
We could wipe out the Republicans clean, if it 
was n’t for their going round, buttonholing our 
voters, trying to get them to unite on this Citizens’ 
Ticket.” 


291 


292 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ It looks to me,” said George quietly, “ as 
though they were not satisfied with the present 
administration. If our party liked the manage- 
ment of town affairs they would not go in for this 
Citizens’ Ticket.” 

This was a bold thing for George to say, for 
Mr. Winterbourn had wormed himself into muni- 
cipal politics until he held the reins cf govern- 
ment in his own hands. He looked sharply at 
the young man leaning against the chimney- 
piece, but George’s face told him nothing. It 
always vexed Mr. Winterbourn because he could 
not read his boarder’s thoughts ; but he felt sure 
of his being on his side, for George was as strong 
a Democrat as when he had illuminated his room 
at Mrs. Jackson’s in honor of the election. 

“ The Republicans have got round them with 
a pack of lies,” said Mr. Winterbourn angrily. 
“ They know they can ’t do anything alone, so 
they have made this new ticket which they call 
the Citizens’ Ticket just to fool them. Citizens 
indeed ! It is nothing but Republicans hidden 
under that name. I ’d bet ten dollars there is n’t 
a Democratic name on it that amounts to that,” 
and the gentleman snapped his fingers contemp- 
tuously. “ They have put on men they can nose 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 


293 


round and flatter into thinking they are some- 
body. Oh, I know all about it just as well as 
though I had been to their secret meetings.” 

George said nothing as he stood thoughtfully 
fingering his watch-chain, and Mr. Winterbourn 
continued his walk up and down the room. 

“We’ll carry the day ' fast enough,” he de- 
clared. “ We are sure of every man that works 
in the mills ; the Republicans can’t get their 
votes.” 

How do you know ? ” asked George. 

“ Why, have n’t you told them who you are ? ” 
demanded Mr. Winterbourn. “ They know you 
own the whole concern, and won’t dare vote 
against you.” 

“ I ’m not up for office,” said George coolly. 

“ No, but they know where your sympathies 
are, and will vote for your party, of course.” 

“ Are you sure of that ? ” asked George. 

“ I have got to be sure of it,” said the excited 
gentleman, wheeling around suddenly before the 
young man. “ What do you suppose I urged 
you to make yourself known for if it was n’t for 
this election ! You have got to make every voter 
in the mills understand whom he is to throw his 
ballot for to-morrow. If he doesn’t go strong 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


294 

for the Democratic party he loses his place, that ’s 
all.” 

“Yes,” George assented, “ I think they under- 
stand that.” 

“ Of course they understand it,” said Mr. Win- 
terbourn resuming his walk, “and the other party 
understand it too. They know it is no use for 
them to try and get hold of any of our men, 
especially since you have come out in your true 
colors. Oh, we ’ll carry the day without any 
trouble.” 

It was Sunday evening, the night before the 
Town Meeting, and the March twilight was dark- 
ening the room where the two gentlemen were. 
Mr. Winterbourn had been in a fever of excite- 
ment all day, for, in spite of his boast that the 
election would go as he wanted it to, he was 
uneasy and could think of nothing else. As he 
never talked on business matters before his sister 
and daughter he had carried George off into the 
library as soon as the evening meal was over. 
The room was quite dark when Sibyl appeared 
in the doorway. 

‘‘ Why do n’t you have some light ? ” said she 
turning the button of the little glass bulb over 
the library table. 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 


295 


The young lady was dressed for church in her 
stylish spring suit, and after lighting the room 
she turned to her father, saying: 

“ Violet has a headache and is not going out. 
Won’t you goto church with me, papa? I hate 
to go alone.” 

“ Oh, I can ’t sit still for an hour listening to 
that minister who can ’t make a good argument,” 
said Mr. Winterbourn impatiently, “ but here is 
Arlington all ready to go.” 

“ Oh, I would n’t think of troubling Mr. Arling- 
ton,” said Sibyl, with a pretty smile. “ I can go 
alone just as well.” 

“ I am going and will escort you,” said George 
politely. 

“ Oh, thank you,” said the young lady, “ you are 
very kind.” 

At Mr. Winterbourn’s request George had 
told his work people a few days before what re- 
lation he bore to them. The news had spread 
rapidly through the town, and the young man 
found himself a greater lion than ever. Old men 
seized him by the hand on the street, old ladies 
beamed upon him approvingly, and young ladies 
smiled their prettiest when they met him, so 
that the universal homage might have turned 


296 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

his head if it had not been a clear and steady 
one. 

Sibyl was conscious that she and her escort 
attracted a great deal of attention as they took 
their seats, and the fact that more than one girl 
envied her the attentions of the richest and 
most popular young man in town added greatly 
to the satisfaction of the moment. 

While they flattered George to his face, there 
were many who were ready to laugh at him be- 
hind his back for investing in such a poor paying 
business, and called him a fool for expecting to 
make anything out of a manufactory that had 
gone to the wall. 

George did not give his whole attention to the 
sermon that evening, for the election next day 
and the important step he was planning to take 
engrossed his thoughts. He glanced wistfully 
over to where Nelly and her mother sat, wishing 
he did not have Miss Winterbourn on his hands 
so that he could go home with them and talk 
over his plans in their little parlor. He had 
made up his mind what to do, but felt that it 
would encourage and strengthen him to tell 
Nelly and her mother all about it, and get their 
help and sympathy. 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 


297 

There was an undercurrent of excitement in 
town the next day that was felt by nearly every 
one. The mills were closed, and early in the 
morning the streets'were full of men in holiday 
attire making their way toward the Town Hall, 
although the polls were not yet opened. Influ- 
ential men were talking in low tones at the corners, 
and office seekers were confidentially seizing 
their allies by their buttonholes, and holding 
mysterious conferences. 

Mr. Winterbourn was everywhere, talking to 
this one and that, and rushing from one place to 
another, evidently full of business. 

About nine o’clock George was driving out of 
the stable-yard, when he saw Mr. Winterbourn 
hurrying down the street. In answer to his beck- 
oning forefinger, George drew rein, and the anx- 
ious politician climbed to the seat beside him. 

“ I ’m afraid we may have trouble with some 
of the mill-hands after all,” said he in a confiden- 
tial tone as George drove slowly down the street. 

“In what way?” the young man asked. 

“ Oh, we can manage ’em if we go to work right,” 
said Mr. Winterbourn confidently. “ I whispered 
a word in Gorman’s ear, and he has got ’em all 
down to the saloon.” 


298 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ Yes?” said George, as his companion paused. 

“ They are talking pretty free now,” Mr. Win- 
terbourn continued, “about voting as they please 
and going against the boss if they want to ; but 
they will soon stop that. They will vote for the 
one who gives them the most liquor. You have 
only got to tell Gorman to draw on the bar freely 
as he wants to, in your name, and they ^re ours.” 

“ I am going down to the saloon now,” said 
George, “ and you can come with me.” 

“ But it will hardly do for us to go in person,” 
objected Mr. Winterbourn. “ I want the votes of 
the temperance people. You had better give 
Gorman word ; he ’ll understand.” 

“ You need n’t say anything, Mr. Winterbourn,” 
said George. “ I am going to speak to the men 
myself. I shall not use your name.” 

“ But you are a member of the church,” said 
Mr. Winterbourn cautiously ; “ it will not look 
just right, and we are so closely connected I ’m 
afraid it will injure my vote.” 

“ I shall make it plain that I am acting on my 
own responsibility,” said George, “ and they will 
understand that you have nothing to do with my 
orders,” and with that Mr. Winterbourn was forced 
to be content. 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 


299 

There was a crowd of men in and around the 
saloon, most of them mill-hands. .Inside the pro- 
prietor leaned smilingly over his bar, chatting 
with this one and that. It was going to be a 
good day for his trade, and he knew it. 

When George drew rein before the door a 
breeze of excitement passed through the crowd 
for they had not expected the new boss to come 
down there and treat them in person. George 
marched in, holding his head up like one who is 
not ashamed of what he is about to do ; Mr. Win- 
terbourn following, trying to look as usual, but 
evidently wishing himself somewhere else. 

As George entered the saloon the crowd out- 
side followed to hear what he had to say, and the 
proprietor greeted him with a servile smile, say- 
ing : 

“ Good morning, Mr. Arlington, what can I do 
for you to-day ? 

“You can do a great deal for me if you will, 
Mr. Sawyer,” replied George. “ I see a number 
of my men here and I would like to say a word 
to them.” 

Every eye was fixed upon the young man, and 
raising his voice slightly, George turned to them 
saying : 


300 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ My friends, this is election day, and you have 
a holiday, so that you can go to the polls and 
cast your vote for whom you. please. You know 
what my politics are, but I do not know yours, 
nor do I care to know them. You are American 
citizens and have the right to vote for whom you 
will ; and I shall not interfere with that right.” 

“Hurrah!” shouted one fellow, snatching off 
his cap. “ Three cheers for the new boss and 
the United States of America, that lets a man do 
as he pleases.” 

“Poor policy! poor policy!” whispered Mr. 
Winterbourn under cover of the cheer that fol- 
lowed George’s words. He stood like a spider 
hovering over a large fly that was likely to prove 
too much for him. “ But you have only got to 
treat them handsomely to have them all on our 
side.” 

The men saw the superintendent whisper in 
George’s ear, and winked slyly at one another as 
they waited eagerly to hear what the new boss 
had to say. 

“ I know why so many of you are gathered here,” 
said George, looking his work people squarely and 
unflinchingly in the face. “ In times past it has 
been the custom for you to be treated by those 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 


301 


for whose party ticket you vote ; but I want to 
tell you, now, that not one drop of liquor will 
be given to you at the expense of the Company. 
Mr. Sawyer, I forbid your selling one drop of 
liquor on my account or that of the Company’s 
to-day,” and he turned to the proprietor, who, in 
his astonishment, forgot to receive this order 
with his customary smile. 

Mr. Winterbourn’s face grew black as a thunder- 
cloud. 

“ Do you know what you are doing, Arling- 
ton ? ” he demanded in an aside. “ We ’ll lose 
the day through your confounded philanthropy 
and temperance notions.” 

“ I have just one word more to say,” continued 
George, without heeding the superintendent. 
“ It has been my desire ever since I have been 
here to employ temperance men, and I have de- 
cided that henceforth no man shall work for me 
who tastes or touches liquor. Now, if you wish 
to work for me you will not drink a drop of the 
stuff you see before you. Do you understand ? ” 
Do you take us for fools ? ” demanded a 
brutal looking fellow with a head like a bullet. 

No, I take you for men,” George replied 
firmly. “You can become brutes by spending 


302 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


what you earn on drink. I give you the chance 
to be men indeed, to redeem your characters so 
that your wives can hold up their heads and not 
be ashamed of the name they bear. I offer you 
the chance of becoming respected citizens, but if 
you prefer this vile liquor to prosperity and re- 
spectability you cannot remain in my employ.” 

“ Really, Mr. Arlington,” interposed the pro- 
prietor, “ I cannot let you stand there and in- 
jure my trade. This building is mine, and the 
business you are denouncing is the sole support 
of my family.” 

“ I have no more to say,” replied George, mov- 
ing to the door, “only I whh. it understood that, 
henceforth, any one who wants to work for me 
must be a temperance man.” 

“ Shut up, Arlington,” interrupted Mr. Win- 
terbourn roughly. “ Are you a natural-born 
fool?” 

George turned on the superintendent, and Mr. 
Winterbourn saw that blue eyes can flash as well 
as black ones. For a moment the gentleman 
quailed, but George only said : 

“It is almost time for the polls to open ; shall 
I drive you to the hall ? ” 

Thinking it best to put his anger into his 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 


303 


pocket, Mr. Winterbourn climbed into the wagon, 
and they drove off, leaving a group of sullen, 
angry men, looking after them. 

“I hope you see what you have done,” said 
Mr. Winterbourn angrily. “ Every one of those 
men will vote against us. We shall lose the day, 
all owing to your notions about temperance. Let 
the men drink if they want to. You have no 
right to kick up a row and cause those fellows to 
vote against us. I won’t stand it, nor have any 
such work.” 

I believe, Mr. Winterbourn,” said George 
quietly, “that the mills belong to me, and I em- 
ploy the men.” 

“You are a fool,” retorted Mr. Winterbourn, 
who had worked himself up to such a pitch of ex- 
citement that he hardly knew what he was say- 
ing, “ and have acted as though you were half- 
witted. You’ll regret what you have done some 
day, for the men won’t stand such nonsense, and 
if you carry out your threat the mills will be shut 
down.” 

“ That is my own lookout,” said George coolly. 

“Well, I wash my hands of you,” said the 
angry superintendent. “You have made me ruin 
my chance of reelection ; and if you attempt to 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


304 

carry out your threat you can look somewhere 
else for a superintendent.” 

“Very well,” said George, drawing rein at the 
hall door, round which a crowd of men were con- 
gregated, “ I will do so at once.” 

Mr. Winterbourn was a little startled by 
George’s prompt reply, for he knew the young 
man well enough to feel sure when he said a 
thing he meant it, and his hasty words might 
cost him dear ; but he was too angry to take them 
back. He would run the risk, for there was too 
much at stake, just now, to settle any personal 
disputes ; if he carried the election he would risk 
the rest. 

The first thing to do was to secure the votes of 
the mill-hands. They were just angry enough to 
rally round the superintendent if he offered them 
what the new boss had refused, and if the fellow 
was foolish enough to carry out his threat why 
the mills would be shut down, and then Mr. 
Winterbourn had no doubt but that he could get 
round the new owner, and things would go on as 
usual. 

The workmen did rally round the superinten- 
dent, but in spite of their support Mr. Winter- 
bourn lost the election, George’s horse and 


GEORGE CAUSES A STRIKE 


305 


wagon was busy all day carrying old and infirm 
Democratic voters to and from the polls. The 
young man supported his superintendent in every 
way he could, but it was no use ; Mr. Winter- 
bourn’s honors were stripped from him, and he 
went home at night a bitterly disappointed and 
angry man. 

20 


CHAPTER XXI 


A RANSOM FOR MANY 

M y dear boy, you do n’t know how proud I 
am of you ! ” 

It was the following Saturday evening, and the 
first opportunity George had had to go and talk 
over his plans with his old friends. Nelly had 
met him at the door, but did not say much ; she 
could not tell him, as her mother did, how proud 
she had been of him all the week. Mrs. Jackson 
had met him in the little parlor and given him 
both her hands, while Nelly stood looking on with 
shining eyes. 

“ I’m glad to hear you say so, Mother Jack- 
son,” George replied, “ for I have heard nothing 
but abuse for fhe last week, and praise does a 
man good, once in a while.” 

“ You knew we would approve of what you 
have done,” said Mrs. Jackson, motioning her 

guest to a seat. “ But this could not have been 
306 


A RANSOM FOR MANY 


307 

a sudden plan ; you must have been preparing for 
it all winter.” 

“ Yes, I have been,” he replied, “ and thought 
that Town Meeting day would be a good time 
for me to take a stand on the principles I mean 
to adopt for the future. I knew pretty well 
what the results would be, so, Tuesday morning, 
when the men refused to work, I telegraphed to 
Waterhouse, and he came with all the men I 
wanted.” 

“ And the mills have not been closed a day ? ” 
said Nelly with sparkling eyes. 

“No,” replied George, “ I didn’t mean they 
should be, for I did n’t want the innocent to suf- 
fer for the guilty.” 

“ Did you discharge Mr. Winterbourn ? ” asked 
Mrs. Jackson. 

“ No, Mr. Winterbourn resigned,” said George, 
with a little twinkle in his eye. “ He told me 
Monday that if I was fool enough to try and 
carry out such a plan he would have nothing 
more to do with me, so Tuesday morning I had 
only to take him at his word.” 

“You have been very cautious in what you 
have said about Mr. Winterbourn, George,” said 
Mrs. Jackson, “ but you can speak freely here. 


3o8 the young capita list 

Is it true that he furnished liquor to your men 
on Monday ? ” 

“ Yes, he did,” said George, looking stern as 
he thought of his ex-superintendent. “ He fed 
the flame and did the mischief, and it is only right 
that he should suffer for it. He thought that I 
could not get along without him, and was taken 
completely by surprise when Waterhouse came, 
and I put him in his place.” 

“What kind of a man is Waterhouse?” asked 
Nelly. 

“ He is a fine fellow,” replied George, warmly, 
“ and just the man for the place. I made his ac- 
quaintance in New York after grandfather’s death, 
and consulted him when I invested in this busi- 
ness. We have been corresponding all winter, 
and he has held himself in readiness for just such 
a crisis as this.” 

“ What a mine you have sprung, George,” said 
Mrs. Jackson. “ But what is going to become of 
the men who are adrift without work ? ” 

“ That is the worst of it,” said George looking 
very sober. “ Winterbourn and those sneaking, 
contemptible saloon-keepers give them liquor 
enough to keep the flame going. I only ask 
them to choose between rum and work. If they 


A RANSOM FOR MANY 


309 


would come to me sober, and ask for employment 
I would give them a trial ; but Winterbourn and 
the saloon-keepers take care that they shall not 
be sober, and their families are suffering.” 

“And they are dangerous too,” said Mrs. 
Jackson, looking anxiously at the young man 
before her. “ Satan always finds plenty of mis- 
chief for such idle hands.” 

“ I know it,” said George despondently ; then, 
rousing himself, he added with his usual energy : 
“ But Rome was not built in a day ; I ’ll root out 
these weeds if it takes me a lifetime. I mean the 
day shall come when my workmen shall be honest, 
upright, law-abiding citizens, and their families 
comfortable and respectable.” 

“The day will come, George,” said Mrs. Jack- 
son cheerfully. “ God always blesses our work 
when we are in earnest, and persevere in spite of 
all obstacles. Only, my dear boy,” looking at 
him anxiously, “be very careful.” 

‘ Yes, ma’am, I shall be,” he replied soberly. 
“ I sha’ n’t run any risks.” 

“How does Violet like her new boarding- 
place?” asked Nelly, to break a little pause. 

George’s face lighted up as he turned toward 
the girl seated in a low chair before the fire. 


310 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ She was glad to leave the Winterbourns’,” he 
replied, “ for it has n’t been very pleasant there 
for either of us lately, and this boarding-house is 
a very homelike place. You must go and see 
her oftener now, Nelly.” 

“Yes, I will,” Nelly promised. 

“She is going to New York to join mother 
soon,” George continued, “ but wants to see me 
through here first, she says.” 

They talked on for some little time about the 
changes George intended making, and his plans 
for the future, but when the clock struck ten he 
rose and bade them good night. As he opened 
the outside door he said suddenly : 

“ Come here, Nelly, and see the northern lights.” 

The northern sky was all aglow with quivering 
light; but after he called Nelly to the door, 
George, instead of watching it, stood looking 
down into the sweet upturned face of the girl by 
his side. 

“ Somehow I hate to say good night, Nelly,” 
said he, “ but I must go, for it is getting late.” 

“You are going right home, are n’t you, 
George?” said Nelly earnestly. “You won’t 
go near the mills or down onto Water Street again 
to-night, will you ? ” 


A RANSOM FOR MANY 


311 

“ Why do you ask? ” he replied. 

“ Because,” said she, quickly, you know that 
they hate you, and might try to do mischief,” , 

“ I know it, and am prepared for them,” and 
George took something out of his pocket that 
flashed even in the starlight. 

O George ! ” exclaimed Nelly recoiling. “ Is 
it loaded ? ” 

“Yes,” he laughed, slipping it back into his 
pocket, “ but there is no danger of my shooting 
myself, nor giving any one else a chance to 
shoot me, so do n’t let any horrible visions disturb 
your slumbers.” 

“You are going right home?” said Nelly 
anxiously. 

“ I am going home now,” he replied. 

“ And will stay there ? ” said she hurriedly. “ O 
George, do promise that you will not go near the 
mills after dark. I have thought, all the week, 
how dreadful it would be if something should 
happen.” 

“ Have you worried about me, Nelly ? ” said 
George eagerly. “ Would you care if something 
should happen ? ” 

“You know you are just like a brother to me,” 
said Nelly, hastily, “ and I should feel so bad for 


312 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Violet’s sake if anything should happen ; she is 
here all alone, you know.” 

“ So for Violet’s sake you worry about me,” 
said he. ' 

“ Yes, you ought to think of her and be care- 
ful,” said she earnestly. “ Won’t you promise 
not to go near the mills, after dark ?” 

“ I can ’t,” said he gravely,” for I ’m afraid of 
fire, and have the mills watched every night, and, 
as we are short of men, I have to take my turn.” 

“ Are you going to watch to-night ? ” she asked 
turning pale. 

“Yes, but do not worry even on Violet’s 
account,” said he gaily. “ I watched Wednesday 
night and it was as quiet as could be ; I did not 
hear a sound nor see even a shadow. There is 
not a particle of danger, Nelly, so don’t imagine 
any horrible thing happening. Desperate as they 
are, they won ’t do anything worse than set fire to 
the mills, and won’t do that as long as they know 
they are watched. Now I must say good night, 
but remember — pleasant dreams.” 

Nelly returned his good night, and stood 
watching him go down the path. Reaching the 
gate he did not stop to open it, but placing his 
hand on the top swung himself lightly over. 


A RANSOM FOR MANY 


313 


Seeing Nelly still standing in the door, he turned 
and gaily took off his cap, as he went rapidly 
down the street. How gay and handsome he 
looked ! If anything should happen how dreadful 
it would be ! Nelly would not harbor the thought, 
but resolutely closing the door went back to their 
pleasant parlor. 

Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful 
with a feeling of spring in the air. It was Easter 
Sunday, and, as she dressed for church, Nelly felt 
a thrill of new life as she thought of the resurrec- 
tion of nature after the long frozen winter. 

Nelly and her mother were a little late, and 
the magnificent voluntary was pealing from the 
organ as they took their seat. The church was 
beautifully decorated with flowers in honor of the 
glorious Easter Day, and in front of the altar 
stood a snow-white cross, with the words, “ Christ 
Is Risen,” above it. 

Nelly noticed that neither George nor Violet 
were at church, but had forgotten her fears of the 
night before. This beautiful Easter morning it 
did not seem as though anything but peace and 
love could dwell upon the earth ; nothing terrible 
could happen in such a beautiful world. 

She enjoyed the service more than usual ; 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


314 

the music, prayers, and sermon, all so full of joy 
because Christ had risen, and when she went into 
the vestry to join her class her face was very 
bright and happy. She had become very much 
attached to her class. They had not become model 
boys by any means; there were Sundays when she 
was almost tempted to give them up. She had one 
encouragement, and that was that they liked her, 
and declared they would not go to Sunday-school 
for any one else, so she persevered Sunday after 
Sunday, trying to do her best. 

The boys came in, as usual, this morning, not 
one by one, but in a body. 

Good morning, boys,” said Nelly cordially. 

“Good morning. Miss Jackson. Have you 
heard the news ? ” 

“ No, what is it ? ” she replied. 

“ Mr. Arlington was shot last night down by 
the mills.” 

The room was not going round, but it seemed 
so. The news caused her heart to stand still, 
and made her feel as though everything was 
giving way beneath her. 

“ Is he dead ? ” she asked, surprising herself by 
her calmness. 

“ No, ma’am, but the doctor says he can ’t live,” 


A RANSOM FOR MANY 


315 

said Freddy Bangs in what seemed a terribly 
cheerful voice, but Freddy did not feel cheerful a 
bit. He did not hold a grudge against the young 
man who had given him a shaking. On the con- 
trary he liked and admired George exceedingly, 
and his freckled face was very sober, but, boy- 
like, he tried not to show his feelings. 

“ Who did it ?’’ asked Nelly, feeling as though 
she were suffocating. 

“ Jim Gorman,” replied Freddy. And I hope 
they ’ll hang him.” 

Nelly shuddered. She could see it all ; how the 
murderer had crept up behind the young man 
who had bidden her good night the evening 
before, looking so gay and handsome, and had 
fired the cruel shot. Was it a presentiment of 
what was coming that had caused her to warn 
him } If he had only heeded her and had not 
been so confident ! The boys were inclined to 
talk about it, but she stopped them, for she could 
not bear to hear what they were saying about the 
terrible event. 

The hour for the lesson was the longest and 
hardest Nelly had ever spent. She could not 
think of a thing to say to the boys, who laughed 
and whispered as much as they wanted tOt How 


3i6 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


could they laugh ? How could any one laugh, 
she wondered, when such a terrible thing had 
happened ? 

At last the superintendent’s bell rang. She 
had only to endure the mockery of the joyful 
Easter hymn, and then she could go home. She 
was hurriedly gathering up her books when Mr. 
Perkins came down the aisle and paused to speak 
to her. 

Good morning, Miss Jackson,” said he. “ Is n’t 
this a beautiful Easter day?” 

Nelly only briefly assented. 

“ It is a terrible thing that has happened to 
Mr. Arlington, is n’t it ? ” said the gentleman, 
walking down the aisle beside her. 

Again poor Nelly made an assent. 

“The fellow was intoxicated,” Mr. Perkins con- 
tinued, “ and has been ever since town meeting, 
and to my mind is not half so much to blame as 
those that furnished him the liquor. But it is 
hard on Arlington,” and the gentleman looked 
very sober. 

They were at the door at last. Nelly could 
make her escape, with a bow, and hurry home. 
Was it a bright, beautiful day? The sun seemed 
to mock her with its bright rays. The news 


A MAATSOM FOR MANY 


317 

she had heard had turned the world black to 
her. 

Miss Stone met her in the parlor. She had' 
lighted the oil-stove and was preparing to make the 
usual three cups of chocolate which she always 
shared with her neighbors on Sunday noon. 

“Where is mamma?” asked Nelly. She felt 
that she could not entertain the dressmaker 
that day. 

“ She told me to tell you,” said Miss Stone, 
looking sharply at the pale girl, “ that that Arling- 
ton ” 

“ Oh, yes, I know,” interrupted Nelly, “ but 
where is mamma?” 

“ That is what I was going to tell you,” said 
Miss Augusta. “She has gone to him. His 
sister sent for her. You had n’t more than got to 
church when word came.” 

Her mother could go, that was one comfort. 
Nelly took off her wraps, wondering if Miss 
Augusta would stay all day. 

“ The doctor says there is only one chance in a 
hundred for him,” continued the dressmaker. 
“If the fellow hadn’t been drinking he would 
have killed him outright. He hid and fired at 
him from behind,” 


3i8 the young capitalist 

* 

“ Yes, but please do n’t talk about it any more,” 
pleaded Nelly. “Is the chocolate ready?” 

“ It will be in about a minute,” said Miss 
Stone, inspecting the dish on the oil-stove. “ I 
thought I ’d have it ready by the time you got 
here. What have you got for a Sunday-school 
book? Anything I want to read?” 

Miss Stone stayed to lunch. She did not in- 
vest in such luxuries as chocolate and had no 
idea of losing her favorite cup at her neighbors’ 
expense. Nelly tried to entertain her, but she 
could not talk, and part of the time was uncon- 
scious of what the dressmaker was saying. At 
last Miss Stone kindly betook herself to her 
own side of the house to read Nelly’s Sunday- 
school book. 

Left to herself at last Nelly could not find re- 
lief in tears as she had hoped. She could not 
cry, for her eyes were hot and dry, and nothing 
relieved the burden on her heart.. To read was 
impossible, and even when she looked out of the 
window she could only think of George as he had 
leaped the gate the night before, so strong and 
full of life, and now he was stricken down by a 
murderer’s hand. She longed for her mother, 
but dusk fell and Mrs. Jackson did not re- 


A I^ANSOM FOR MANY 


319 


turn. At eight o’clock a messenger came with 
a note. 

Dear Nelly: 

George is very low, but Dr. Thornton has not 
given up all hope. I shall stay with Violet until 
'her father and mother get here. She is a brave 
girl and is bearing up splendidly. Send me my 
wrapper and slippers. In haste, 

Mother. 

Nelly read the note over and over again, deriv- 
ing some comfort from the words, “ Dr. Thornton 
has not given up all hope.” That helped her 
through the night. It was hard to wait in sus- 
pense, but she could pray and trust, with fresh 
hope, that God would not take one out of the 
world who was leading such a noble life, and 
doing so much for His cause and kingdom. 


CHAPTER XXII 


AN ANXIOUS DAY 

I T was a relief to Nelly to go to school on 
Monday morning, for she could escape from 
her thoughts in teaching, and learned for the first 
time how work often proves to be a blessing. 

Joe met herlit the door, looking very grave and 
sober. 

“ Have you heard from George, this morning? ” 
was the first thing she said. She had hoped her 
mother would send some message, but no word 
had come, and the only consolation she had was 
the thought that if what she had dreaded had 
come to pass she would have heard of it. 

“ I called there as I came along,” Joe replied. 
“ There has been no change. Dr. Thornton has 
called a consultation of doctors this afternoon.” 

“ They never do that unless they have hope, 
do they?” asked Nelly anxiously. 

‘‘They have a hope,” said Joe cheerfully. 

“ Dr. Thornton has not given him up by any 
320 


AJV ANXIOUS BA Y 


32 


means. I ’m so glad your mother can be there, 
Nelly, for Violet’s sake.” 

“ When will Mr. and Mrs. Arlington get here ? ” 

“ They expect Mrs. Arlington this morning. 
She was in New York ; but Mr. Arlington will not 
get here before night, for he was down home.” 

“ And Gorman ? ” she asked with a shudder. 

“ He has disappeared. If he is arrested he 
must stand trial for the assault. The fact that he 
was drunk is no excuse in the eyes of the law.” 

“ Indeed, he ought to be punished, and so ought 
those who kept him under the influence,” said 
Nelly in a hard tone of voice as she thought of 
what George had said Saturday evening. 

“ The most wretched man in this town just 
now, Nelly, is Mr. Winterbourn,” said Joe 
gravely. 

“ He deserves to be wretched,” said Nelly as 
she turned away to hang up her hat and jacket. 

The hours dragged slowly by. Nelly almost 
dreaded to leave the schoolroom for fear the 
news would meet her that George was dead, and 
was grateful to Miss Stone for asking her in there 
to dinner, for the dressmaker’s society was pre- 
ferable to her own thoughts, and she had dreaded 

her solitary meal. 

21 


322 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Nelly and Joe\i^ere walking home from school 
together at night when they met Frank. The 
consultation was over and both stopped by com- 
mon consent, while Joe asked the question that 
was on every one’s lips ; 

“What do you think of George? How is he 
now ? ” 

“Oh, he’ll pull through all fight,” replied 
Frank carelessly. “ He is n’t half so badly off as 
Thornton makes out. You know he always rep- 
resents his cases as bad as possible, so that if they 
get well every one will think he has effected a 
great cure, and if they die no one will be surprised.” 

“ Then you think there is hope for George,” 
said Joe gravely. 

“ Oh, yes, I have n’t a doubt but he will get 
well, and Thornton will have him to brag about 
as long as he lives. As soon as I examined the 
case I saw it was n’t as bad as was represented. 
He ’ll be all right in a month or two,” and, 
nodding in the careless, patronizing manner he 
always affected towards Joe, the young doctor 
passed on. 

Nelly felt as though wings were attached to 
her feet, and Frank never stood so high in her 
regard before. She could forgive him all his past 


AJV ANXIOUS DA Y 


323 


sins, since he had told her so confidently that 
George was going to get well. 

“ O Joe,” she exclaimed, “isn’t it splendid?” 

Joe looked down into her shining eyes and 
kept back the words he was ready to speak. His 
hopes had not risen a particle, for he had too 
high an opinion of Dr. Thornton to believe what 
Frank had said, and knew that the young doctor’s 
words were prompted by jealousy, but he would 
not tell Nelly what he thought. She, at least, 
might have the comfort of believing them ; so 
with steps that almost danced Nelly went into 
the house to find her mother, with her bonnet 
still on, doing up a large bundle by the table. 

“ Oh, mamma,” she cried, “ I am so glad you are 
here ! It seems like an age since I saw you last,” 
and throwing both arms around her mother’s 
neck Nelly bowed her face to hide the tears of joy 
shining in her eyes. 

Mrs. Jackson was surprised at her daughter’s 
manner, for she had thought of her often and 
anxiously during their separation. 

“ How have you got along, dear, while I have 
been gone?” she asked, when Nelly raised her 
head, her cheeks, deeply flushed, and her hat all 
on one side. 


324 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ Oh, it has been dreadful,” Nelly replied, “ but 
it is over now. Is n’t it splendid that the verdict 
is so hopeful, and they think he will get well ? ” 

“The verdict hopeful!” exclaimed Mrs. Jack- 
son. “ Why, my dear girl, they held out no hope 
except that his splendid constitution and the 
temperate life he has led may save him.” 

Nelly sank into a chair and the color in her 
cheeks faded, leaving her very pale. 

“ O mamma,” she cried, “ Frank just told me he 
would get well. He was at the consultation and 
said that Dr. Thornton thought it worse than it 
really was.” 

“ An old and skilled physician like Dr. Thorn- 
ton would not make such a mistake,” said Mrs. 
Jackson gravely. “ I am afraid, dear, that Frank’s 
word is not good for much, and that he is jealous 
of the other doctors.” 

Driven back into despair after her few minutes 
of elation, Nelly, for the first time since she had 
heard the news, burst into tears. Her mother 
wisely let her weep, for her own eyes were full as 
she looked at her daughter’s bent head, and went 
on quietly about her preparations. When the 
last thing was done she laid her hand on Nelly’s 
shoulder, saying gently ; 


AN A NX/0 C/S DA Y 


325 

“ He is in God’s hands, Nelly, and we can trust 
Him to do what is best.” 

Nelly’s sobs ceased, and in a few minutes she 
raised her head, and, trying to speak naturally, 
asked : “ How does he seem ? ” 

“ He is unconscious, and does not know any- 
thing that goes on around him. He is very low, 
but there is still hope.” 

“ Has Mrs. Arlington come?” asked Nelly. 

“Yes, she came this morning, and his father is 
expected to-night. I am going to stay with them, 
however, for Mrs. Arlington can do nothing in 
the sick-room and Violet is utterly worn out. I 
shall help the nurse as long as she needs me.” 

“ And I shall have to stay alone again to-night,” 
said Nelly sadly. 

“You do not begrudge me to George, do you, 
dear?” said Mrs. Jackson cheerfully. 

“ No,” she replied, “ I am glad you can go. I 
wish there was something I could do,” she added 
desperately. 

“ There is,” replied Mrs. Jackson, thinking of 
something that might do her daughter good, 
“ you can help me carry these things down. I 
think Mrs. Arlington and Violet would both like 
to see you,” 


326 the young capitalist 

Nelly rose and straightened her hat before the 
glass, looking carefully to see if there were any 
traces of tears on her face ; then, taking the 
basket her mother handed her, followed her out 
the door. Her heart, which had been so light 
when she heard Frank’s verdict, was heavy again 
now, and the burden which had been raised for 
a moment seemed resting with a greater weight 
than before. 

Mrs. Jackson talked cheerfully all the way, tell- 
ing her daughter how brave Violet had been 
through all the trouble, and how nobly she had 
acted ; but nothing could cheer or comfort Nelly 
since the false hopes Frank had raised had 
received such a blow. 

Four rooms in the boarding-house, where 
George had gone when his trouble with Mr. Win- 
terbourn had made it impossible for him and his 
sister to stay there any longer, had been given up 
to them, and in the large front chamber the 
wounded man lay. The other boarders had 
willingly vacated the front part of the house, so 
that he could be kept perfectly quiet. 

Mrs. Arlington had seen Mrs. Jackson and her 
daughter approach the house, and as they came 
up-stairs she softly opened the door of her room 


AN ANXIOUS DA V 


327 

and beckoned for them to come in. She could 
not be trusted in the sick-room, for she could not 
control her grief at the sight of her son lying 
there wounded and helpless, and the doctor had 
ordered perfect quiet. She was the same beauti- 
ful woman Nelly had loved and admired eight 
years ago, but she was very pale, and the dark 
circles under her eyes showed how she had wept 
for her only son. She drew Nelly into her arms 
and kissed her warmly. 

“ My dear little Nelly,” said she, with all her 
old charm of manner, “ you have not changed at 
all. You look just as you did eight years ago. 
To think we should meet under such circum- 
stances ! We little thought when we parted that 
it would be so long before we should meet again, 
and then that George ” 

Mrs. Arlington paused, for tears choked her 
voice. Nelly felt that it was impossible for her 
to talk about George, and still she must say some- 
thing. 

“ How is Violet? ” she faltered. 

“ My poor, dear girl is asleep,” replied Mrs. 
Arlington, “but you must wait until she wakes, 
for it will do her good to see you.” 

Mrs. Jackson was moving about like one who 


328 FHE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

is at home. Crossing the hall she softly turned 
the knob of a door, and Nelly knew she was going 
in where George was lying. 

“ I ’m so glad you and your mother were here, 
for Violet’s sake,” said Mrs. Arlington. “ It was 
such a shock ! I ’m afraid she will never get 
over it. You know they wakened her out of a 
sound sleep with the news that her brother was 
killed.” 

Nelly shuddered. She had not realized before 
how hard it had been for Violet, although she 
had told George she should worry about him on 
his sister’s account. 

“It was harder for her than for me,” Mrs. 
Arlington continued, “ though when I went and 
saw him, looking as though he were dead, I nearly 
fainted, and Dr. Thornton took hold of me and led 
me right out of the room. He will not allow me 
to go near him because I cannot control my feel- 
ings. He cannot realize what it is for me to see 
my son, usually so full of life, and who never 
meets me after an absence of only a week with- 
out seizing me in his arms and kissing me, lying 
there utterly unconscious, neither looking at nor 
speaking to me.” 

Mrs. Arlington’s eyes filled with tears, but 


AN ANXIOUS DA Y 


329 


Nelly could not think of anything to say, nor 
trust her voice, if words had come to her, for 
something seemed closing around her throat and 
choking her. The lady raised her handkerchief 
to her eyes, and then went on : 

“ The last time I saw him was in New York. 
He spent the evening with me at Mrs. Ashton’s 
— you remember her, Nelly — and was so bright 
and gay and full of life. He bade me good-bye 
over night because he was going away before I 
was up in the morning. I can remember j ust how 
he looked when he kissed me and said : ‘ Wish 
your darling boy good luck, mother.’ O Nelly, 
you cannot imagine how I feel when I think of 
him lying there helpless and unconscious ! ” 

“ I can,” said Nelly, feeling as though she was 
being smothered, “for he was at our house the 
Saturday evening before it happened.” 

“ Was he ? ” said Mrs. Arlington eagerly. “Oh, 
if he had not gone down to those mills to 
watch ! ” 

“ He was doing his duty,” said Nelly. “ It was 
splendid of him, I think.” 

“ He had much better let them set them on fire 
if they wanted to,” said Mrs. Arlington. “ He 
could afford to lose them better than his life.” 


330 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ It was not the property he thought of/’ said 
Nelly. “ It was the principle he was working 
for.” 

“ I did not approve of his coming here in the 
first place,” said Mrs. Arlington, and said all I 
could against it. It was absurd for a young man 
like him, with a fortune of his own, to invest in a 
worn-out business like this, and then come and 
superintend it in person. But George is just like 
his father, who upheld him in what he did. Only 
Saturday I received a letter- from Mr. Arlington, 
full of praises of George, saying he was perfectly 
delighted with him. Now I know he wishes 
they had both listened to me and that George 
had not come to this dreadful place. Dear me, 
I dread meeting Henry, this will be such a ter- 
rible blow to him.” 

As she listened Nelly felt a glow of pride which 
in a measure comforted her. George had been 
struck down in the midst of a glorious fight, and 
no soldier had more cause to be proud of his 
wounds than had he. Even if George died she 
would never regret that he had come there, for he 
had proved his manhood, and given his life for a 
grand cause. How could his mother help feel- 
ing this ? she wondered. The warm admiration she 


AN- ANXIO US DA Y 


331 

had once felt for Mrs. Arlington had cooled. 
She was a lovely and beautiful lady still, but 
the young woman saw what the girl of seventeen 
had not, the selfishness and weakness of the char- 
acter she had thought so perfect. 

“ I hear Violet,” said Mrs. Arlington suddenly. 
“ I will tell her you are here, for it will do her 
good to see you.” 

Violet came in, looking but the ghost of the 
beautiful, blooming girl Nelly had seen last. Her 
heavy black hair was confined in a loose knot, 
and made her pale cheeks look all the whiter by 
contrast. Heavy shadows were under her dark 
eyes, and her lips had a pathetic droop. 

The two girls did not speak, but as Violet 
entered the room Nelly rose, and going up to 
her, silently put both arms around her neck and 
kissed her. 

“ Have you been here very long, Nelly?” 
Violet asked. “ How long have I been asleep, 
mamma ? ” 

Nearly two hours,” replied Mrs. Arlington. 

I hope it will do»you good. You have not slept 
since George was brought home.” 

But Violet did not want to talk about what 
had evidently been such a shock to her, and, 


332 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


drawing Nelly to the window, she said, looking at 
her closely : 

“How pale you are, Nelly! Have you been 
teaching all day ! ” 

“Of course,” replied Nelly cheerfully. “It is 
the spring weather that makes me look pale. 
Do n’t you remember how Mrs. Gibbs used to 
steep thoroughwort and make us take, it for a 
spring tonic ? ” 

Violet smiled, a smile that was sadder than 
tears. 

“You had to get your own dinner this noon,” 
said she. “You must have been very lonesome.” 

“ Oh, Miss Stone took pity on me,” said Nelly. 
“ She had a nice hot dinner all ready and invited 
me in to help eat it. Do n’t think I begrudge you 
mamma, Violet. I am glad she could come.” 

“ I do n’t know what I should have done 
without her,” said Violet, with a quickly-drawn 
breath. 

“Yes, dear,” said Mrs. Arlington, drawing near, 
and laying a soft, white hand on Nelly’s arm. 
“Your mother has been a grq^t comfort to us. 
I do n’t know how I shall ever repay her.” 

“ Has she come back, mamma?” asked Violet. 

“ Yes, and will watch with the nurse to-night ; 


AJV ANXIOUS DA Y 


333 


and you must rest. We must take care of you, 
or, as Dr. Farnsworth said this afternoon, you 
will be sick.” 

Violet turned away with a slight curl of her lip 
which did not argue well for the young doctor’s 
solicitation in her behalf ; and Nelly, seeing she 
could not make herself useful there as her mother 
was doing, did not stay, but bidding mother and 
daughter good-bye went home to her lonely tea 
and the company of her own anxious thoughts. 


CHAPTER XXIII 


nelly’s discovery 


S the weeks went by George continued to 



hold his own, so that the faint hope enter- 
tained for him grew stronger, and, at last, as con- 
sciousness returned, and little by little he began 
to gain strength, the doctor gave out word that 
he was out of danger, if nothing new set in, and 
then burdened hearts began to sing for joy. But 
it was a long, hard struggle to coax him back to 
life, and the days were long, warm and sunny 
before the once vigorous young man could be 
helped to an easy chair and could sit by the 
window for a few minutes. 

Dr. Thornton said that /le did not deserve any 
credit for the cure, for it was all owing to the 
young man’s fine constitution and the splendid 
nursing he had received. Not only had the pro- 
fessional nurse done her best, but Mrs. Jackson 
had been constantly on hand to relieve and assist, 


334 


NELL y^S DISCO VER Y 


335 


and Violet had shown a talent which delighted 
the doctor. The girl had been faithfulness itself, 
and they could hardly persuade her to leave her 
brother long enough to take the necessary exer- 
cise. 

Spring had merged into summer before George 
was able to walk about his room, and many 
changes had taken place in Dedham. The mills, 
under the management of Waterhouse, the new 
superintendent, were doing a better business 
than they had done for years, and the hands were 
steady, sober and industrious men ; for when they 
found they could not get work, and indulge in 
the habit of taking liquor freely, many were 
sensible enough to try and leave it off, and found 
plenty to help them try to keep their new re- 
solves. Those who would not give up the liquor 
had disappeared from the mills, and others had 
taken their places. 

Mr. Winterbourn moved away, for, after the 
attempted murder of George, the place became 
uncomfortable for him. He had lost the high 
position he had held in town government, and 
after his defeat several things came to light in 
regard to the management of affairs that were not 
exactly to his credit. It was known that he had 


336 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

not only given liquor to the workmen on town 
meeting day, but had tried to stir up rebellion 
among them, and furnished Gorman with the 
liquor which so crazed his brain that he fired the 
fateful shot. So the ex-superintendent moved his 
family out of town, and Dedham knew him no 
more. 

Gorman was never heard from, and all pursuit 
of him was stopped as soon as George began to 
recover; for almost the first words the young man 
spoke were : “ Do n’t let them get hold of Gor- 

man. It was n’t so much his fault.” He became 
so excited and feverish about it that Mr. Arling- 
ton promised to withdraw all pursuit of the young 
man. 

It was almost the end of the term before Nelly 
saw George, but one beautiful day, late in the 
afternoon, they met. 

“ He has coaxed so hard we have consented to 
let him see you,” said Violet, “ but you must not 
excite him. You know Dr. Thornton does n’t 
approve of his having visitors yet.” 

“ I won ’t go in if you think I had better not,” 
said Nelly, wondering why she felt so nervous at 
the thought of meeting George. 

“ Oh, you must, now,” said Violet, ‘‘ for we 


NELL V'S DISCO VER Y 


337 


promised him he should see you to-day after 
school, and if we should disappoint him it might 
cause some of those dreadful things to happen to 
his brain that Dr. Thornton used to scare us 
about.” 

“ I can tell how fast George is improving by 
the number of your ridiculous speeches,” said 
Nelly smiling. 

I shall talk nothing but pure nonsense, then, 
when he is his old self again,” she replied. “ But 
mind you don’t excite him now*. If I think you 
are staying too long, I shall sneeze outside the door 
to remind you that your time is up.” 

“ Why, are n’t you coming in with me ? ” asked 
Nelly in surprise. 

“ No, he is only able to receive one visitor at a 
time,” and, with this statement, Violet pushed 
Nelly through the door and closed it behind 
her. 

George was sitting in an easy chair, a bright 
afghan thrown over his knees, his head against a 
large pillow, looking so weak and pale, so unlike 
the strong, handsome fellow who had bidden her 
good night on that memorable Saturday evening, 
that Nelly paused just inside the door, looking at 

him in dismay, 

2 ? 


338 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

She had been told that he looked so much 
better, and had gained so much, that unconsciously 
she had made up her mind to see him just as she 
had often pictured him to herself, and was unpre- 
pared for the change sickness had made. Why, 
he looked but the wreck of his former self ! and 
Nelly could not speak for the emotions which rose 
and choked her. 

George had heard the door open and shut, and, 
seeing who entered, a faint flush rose in his pale 
cheeks, and he tried to rise, but Nelly stopped 
him, saying, as she crossed the room : “ O 

George, you must not get up ; you are so weak. 
Oh, I did not realize how sick you have been ! ” 
and the tears would come to her eyes, though she 
tried to keep them back, remembering she must 
not agitate him. 

“Why, Nelly, I am almost well,’’ said George, 
looking up in surprise as she stood beside him. 
“ I ’m so glad to see you ! I have longed for you 
so. Sit down where I can look at you,” and Nelly 
found herself in a low chair by his side, while 
they looked at each other with hungry eyes, both 
conscious that one had been near the brink of the 
grave since their last meeting. 

“ I have longed to see you ever since I began 


NELL Y ’ 6 - DISCO VER Y 


339 


to get well, but they were afraid you would excite 
me, as if your presence was n’t just what I needed ! 
The pistol I showed you did n’t do any good, 
did it? Do you remember that Saturday night? 
How many years ago was it ? ” 

“ I had a presentiment that evening, George,” 
said Nelly. “If only you had not gone to the 
mills-! Some one else could have watched.” 

“ I ’m glad I went, Nelly,” said he, with some- 
thing of his old energy. “ I am willing to bear 
it, for the shot Gorman fired did more good for 
the cause than anything else. None of them 
hated me enough to want to kill me. It was 
liquor that did it ; and I ’m willing to bear it all 
for the sake of the good it has done.” 

“But suppose it had killed you?” faltered 
Nelly. 

“ I ’m willing to give my life for the sake of 
saving men from the demon of alcohol,” he re- 
plied. “ My life is not of so much consequence 
as their souls.”* 

“ O George ! ” was all she could say, for tears 
choked her voice. 

“ Would you have cared very much ? ” he 
asked earnestly. 

“ Oh, it would have been terrible,” she replied, 


340 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


forgetting she must keep calm and not excite 
him. “ It would have been too great a sacrifice. 
Think of your father and mother and Violet !” 

“ I do n’t want to die,” he replied. “ Life 
never looked brighter or more worth living than 
it did that Saturday night when I bade you good- 
bye, and, if I had been asked to have made the 
sacrifice then, I do n’t know as I would have been 
strong enough to have given my life and all I was 
looking forward to for the sake of the cause, 
much as I loved it.” 

“ But nothing would have kept you from your 
• duty,” said Nelly eagerly. “ If you had known 
Gorman was lying in wait for you, you would 
have gone down to the mills and stood out your 
watch just the same.” 

“ Do you have so high an opinion of me as 
that ? ” said George eagerly. “ Whether it is the 
right one or not it makes me happy to know you 
think well of me.” 

Nelly blushed, and was almost glad to hear a 
warning cough outside the door. 

“ Tjme is up,” said Violet, putting her head in 
at the door, like a turnkey warning a prisoner 
that his visitors must depart. 

Nelly sprang up hastily, but George held out 


NELL F’ 6* DISCO VER Y 


341 


his hand and clasped hers eagerly. How weak 
the once strong fingers had become ! 

“ You must come again,” said he. “ I will get 
well fast if they will let me see you every day. 
Promise you will come to-morrow.” 

“ Perhaps,” she murmured, and drawing her 
hand from his weak fingers, she slipped out of 
the room. 

“You old darling! ” cried Violet, giving Nelly 
a smothering embrace as she met her in the hall. 
“ What a splendid girl you are ! ” 

“ Why, I have n’t done anything! ” said Nelly 
in surprise. 

“ But you are going to,” Violet returned. 
“You will make George the happiest fellow on 
earth ; won’t you ? ” 

Nelly was glad that Violet’s arms were round 
her neck so that she could not see her face, as she 
replied in a smothered tone : 

“ He has n’t asked me yet.” 

“ No, poor fellow ! ” said Violet warmly. “ He 
wants to do it properly, and he is so weak he 
can ’t stand yet. But, Nelly, he loves you. I 
have known it ever since I came here. Mamma 
and I have n’t satisfied him at all since he began 
to get well ; he has begged and entreated us to 


342 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


let him see you and been real cross because we 
had to refuse. D, Nelly, ^ou will be good to 
him ; won’t you ? ” 

“ I can ’t accept an offer by proxy,” said Nelly 
demurely. 

“ I am not going to make one,” Violet declared. 
“George can make his own offers. I ’m not going 
to say another word on the subject,” and she 
finished by giving Nelly a kiss. 

The whole family seemed to understand how 
matters stood between George and Nelly quite 
as well as did Violet, for Mrs. Arlington kissed 
the girl warmly when they met, and, though she 
said not a word, there were tears in her dark eyes. 
Mr. Arlington treated her as though she was his 
daughter as well as Violet, and even Dr. Thorn- 
ton demanded to know what she had done to his 
patient to cause him to improve so rapidly. 

The warm weather in June was very trying to 
those who had stood over George all through his 
long illness, though no one realized what a strain 
it had been until his faithful, devoted sister 
frightened them all one hot, bright morning by 
fainting dead away. 

It was the last day of school. Examinations 
were over, and the year was to close with the 


NELLYAS DISCOVERY 


343 


graduation exercises in the evening. Late in the 
afternoon when Nelly ran up-stairs to the Arling- 
tons’ apartments she was met with a great sur- 
prise. 

“ My dear girl,” was Mrs. Arlington’s greeting, 
‘‘ I am so glad you have come. Violet gave us a 
dreadful fright this morning by fainting away.” 

“Violet fainted away!” repeated Nelly. “Is 
she sick ? ” 

“ She is utterly worn out, and the doctor fears 
nervous prostration, so we are going to send her 
home, for she will not rest while she is here.” 

“ She ought to rest,” said Nelly. “ I have 
noticed for some time how pale she has been.” 

“ I am afraid our anxiety about George has 
made us selfish and careless,” said Mrs. Arlington, 
“ but we are going to send her off to-morrow, and 
are going to ask a great favor of you. It will be 
so lonely for her at home we want you to go with 
her.” 

“ To-morrow ? ” said Nelly in surprise. 

“Yes, George proposed it. Your school closes 
to-day and you will only have to pack your trunk. 
We are all so anxious to have you go with Violet. 
I do n’t know as we can get her started without 
you. 


344 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


“ But what about mamma ? ” said Nelly, hardly 
able to grasp the situation. 

“ She will wait for us,” Mrs. Arlington replied. 
“ You were both going with us when George is 
able to travel ; but that will not be till some time 
next month, the doctor says. The time will pass 
quickly, and I shall feel perfectly safe about 
Violet if you are with her.” 

“ I must talk it over with mamma,” said Nelly, 
still feeling bewildered by the sudden plan. 

“ Of course you must, dear child,” replied Mrs. 
Arlington. “ But come and see George ; he is im- 
patiently waiting for you.” 

Nelly had been helping the graduates with 
their decorations, and in her white dress and 
sailor hat, flushed with heat and exercise, she 
looked unusually pretty when she went in where 
George was waiting, in his usual place, to receive 
her. 

“You will go with Violet, won’t you?” he 
asked eagerly, when greetings were exchanged. 
“ I want you there to meet me when I get home. 
Are you willing to go on ahead and wait for me, 
Nelly ? ” 

“Yes,” she replied, “I will go if mamma is 
willing.” 


NELLY'S DISCO YE EV 


345 


Mrs. Jackson gave her consent and began to 
help her daughter to get ready at once. It was a 
hurried leave-taking, and mother and daughter 
had no opportunity to speak of anything but the 
necessary arrangements, for Miss Stone was run- 
ning in and out, helping about the hundred-and- 
one things a person finds to do before starting 
on a journey. 

Mrs. Jackson felt that this separation meant a 
good deal, and that Nelly would never be quite 
the same again. Already another held the first 
place in her heart, and she would soon assume 
new cares and responsibilities and would never 
be a light-hearted girl again. 

The thought made Mrs. Jackson feel both sad 
and happy. It was hard to give up her daughter 
who had been her sole treasure all her life, but 
she loved George like a son, and if she had to 
resign Nelly she was glad it was to him. Still, 
when Nelly was gone, and she began to pick up 
and put away the things she had left behind, 
Mrs. Jackson could not help feeling as though 
there had been a funeral, and something she had 
loved and cared for had been carried away, never 
to return. 

Mr. Arlington carried the girls to the station. 


346 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


and, buying their tickets and checking their bag- 
gage, saw them safely started on their journey. 
They were just hurrying on board the train when 
a young man with a grip in his hand came out of 
the ticket-office and hastened to join them. 

‘‘ Holloa, Mr. Allen ! ” Mr. Arlington exclaimed. 

Going east ? ” 

“ Yes, sir,” Joe replied. I ’m going to Exeter.” 

Then I ’ll put these young ladies in your care,” 
replied Mr. Arlington. “ They are bound to my 
place ; you know where that is.” 

In the hurry and confusion of the graduation 
Nelly had not told Joe she was going east, for 
she felt rather shy about saying anything about 
it, but she was glad to have his company, for it 
was pleasant to have an escort. After Mr. Arling- 
ton bade them good-bye, Joe secured a seat 
with them, and settled them comfortably for the 
journey. 

Nelly discovered something during that journey 
which had never occurred to her before, and that 
was, that Joe and Violet seemed very much pleased 
with each other’s society. She had been the 
object of Joe’s care and attention ever since they 
had been teaching together ; he had done her 
errands, transacted her business, but every wish 


NELL Y^S DISCO VER Y 


347 


of her heart had not been anticipated and pro- 
vided as were Violet’s. If it was a drink of water, 
the raising of a window, a newspaper or novel, 
Joe was on hand, almost before Violet could 
make known her request. When she innocently 
remarked that bananas were her favorite fruit, 
a dozen appeared at once as if by magic. 

When Boston was reached the girls were very 
glad to have Joe to get them and their baggage 
across the city to the Portland steamer which they 
had decided to take as easier for Violet than a 
night on the cars. 

They were up bright and early the next morn- 
ing to catch a glimpse of Portland’s beautiful 
harbor, and found Joe pacing the deck enjoying 
the invigorating salt air, as the steamer plowed 
her way through the tumbling waters of the bay. 
They were all sorry to leave the steamer for an- 
other day on the cars, though Violet stood the 
journey much better than they had feared, and 
seemed more like her old, gay self than she had 
since George’s sad accident. 

They reached Exeter at three o’clock and Joe 
reluctantly bade them good-bye. The girls looked 
eagerly at the old familiar depot, wishing they 
might stop over, but that was impossible. The 


348 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

cars bore them on to their destination, which 
was soon reached, and they found Jerry, looking 
just as he had eight years before, waiting for them 
with the carriage. 



CHAPTER XXIV 


GEORGE GETS HIS REWARD 

'T^HE two girls had the castle all to themselves, 
but, alone as they were in the great house, 
the waiting time passed very pleasantly for both 
of them, and they were never lonely. 

They had plenty of books and occupation, and 
on pleasant days they had Jerry harness one of 
the horses, and with a lunch, books and sunshades 
they would drive away, stopping wherever they 
fancied, now at one place, now another, and 
fastening the horse they would spread the robes 
out on the ground, and proceed to spend a long, 
pleasant day in the woods. Nelly knew nothing 
at all about the surrounding country, and Violet 
had been away from home so much that it was 
almost as new to her, so they came upon many de- 
lightful spots, and, for a wonder, did not get lost. 

The waiting time was longer than they had 
anticipated, for it was August before the doctor 

349 


350 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


would let George undertake the long journey. 
But at last word came that they had started. 
Jerry brought the telegram to them one morning, 
and Violet hastily tore it open, while Nelly 
looked over her shoulder and read the few words 
it contained : 

“ Will be home Saturday on the' 5 130 train.” 

Violet sprang up and danced about the room, 
waving the yellow paper over her head as though 
she was sixteen again, but Nelly stood quite still, 
a grateful happiness filling her heart that God 
had been so good to her. 

The girls began their preparations at once. 
The house had to be decorated and a feast 
prepared to do honor to the occasion. They rose 
early Saturday morning, and while Violet went 
about opening blinds and drawing back curtains 
in rooms long unused, Nelly went into the 
garden and returned with apron and basket full 
of flowers. They decorated the front rooms and, 
with Jerry’s help, festooned a garland over the 
front entrance. 

At four o’clock Nelly asked for the flag, and, go- 
ing up the narrow stairs to the cupola, fastened it to 
the rope, in the way George had showed her that 
November day, eight years ago ; then pulled it up 


GEORGE GETS HIS REWARD 351 

to its place so that the travellers might see it 
floating out over the roof when they caught their 
first glimpse of the castle. 

Jerry had started for the station, and, leaning 
her arms on the window-ledge, Nelly watched for 
the carriage to come out on the brow of the hill, 
from whence it took them fifteen minutes to reach 
home when coming from the station. Nelly 
could not help recalling the last time she had 
stood in that cupola looking out over the great 
stretch of beautiful country, when George had 
told her that Maud was jealous of her. She re- 
called with a smile the half-bashful, half-mischiev- 
ous look with which the boy had made his 
confession, and wondered how she could for 
a moment have been angry or doubted him. 

At last the empty carriage came out on the 
brow of the hill, and Nelly’s heart throbbed joy- 
fully at the thought that they would soon be 
there, and she would see George once more. How 
would he seem ? she wondered. Would he be but 
the ghost of his former self, or had his strength re- 
turned so that he would seem like the George of 
old, before he had gone down to the mills that 
Saturday night ? 

Violet had insisted upon dressing up to do 


352 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


honor to the occasion, so when Nelly went down- 
stairs she found her arrayed in a trailing dress of 
pale pink crape, her hair gathered in a graceful 
knot on the top of her head, and ornamented with 
a silver hairpin. Nelly herself had put on a 
white dress, the most becoming thing, Violet 
assured her, she could wear, and the excitement 
had given a color to her cheeks the shade of the 
wild roses in her belt. 

“ They will be here soon. O Nelly ! ” and 
seizing her friend Violet gave her a little hug. 
‘‘ Is n’t it splendid ! I can hardly wait.” 

“ Does n’t it seem like six years, instead of six 
weeks since we came? ” asked Nelly. 

“ I do n’t know but it does,” Violet replied. 
“ But I have been happy ; haven’t you, Nelly?” 

“Yes, I have,” she confessed, “happier than I 
have ever been before.” 

It seemed to the two impatient girls as though 
Jerry was gone much longer than usual. They 
could not keep still but walked up and down the 
long hall, running to the door every once in a 
while thinking they heard wheels, and laughing 
at each other at every false alarm. At last the 
carriage really appeared, driving slowly up the 
winding avenue. 


GEORGE GETS HIS REWARD 


353 

** We must stand under the garland and receive 
them in state,” said Violet excitedly. 

But when the carriage stopped at the door 
Violet forgot all about the state and ceremony 
she had planned, and, running down the steps, 
threw both arms around her father, who was the 
first to step out of the carriage. 

Nelly remained obediently under the garland, 
for a sudden fit of shyness seized her as she 
caught a glimpse of a pale, eager face looking out 
of the carriage ; but when she saw her mother 
looking about in search of her, she, too, ran down 
the steps as eagerly as had Violet. They were 
all gathered around George, who was standing 
on his feet, very pale and thin, to be sure, but 
looking more like himself than they had dared 
hope ever to see him. 

“ How long is it since you left me, Nelly ? ” he 
asked, seizing both her hands — “ six years?” 

“No, only six weeks,” she replied. “But, O 
George, how you have improved !” 

“ I intended to improve,” he replied. “ I was 
determined that Dr. Thornton should not keep 
me in Dedham any longer.” 

Nelly could not think of anything to say, and 
tried to slip away, but they would not let her. 

23 


354 


THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 


Both Mr. and Mrs. Arlington kissed her as 
warmly as though she were their own daughter, 
and George would not let her out of his sight. 

It was a very happy party that gathered round 
the table in the large dining-room, and, just as he 
had eight years ago, Mr. Arlington placed Nelly 
at his left hand, saying: 

“ This is your place ; do you remember? ** 

She was no longer a bashful girl, but talking 
did not come any easier than it had eight years 
before, and she was too happy to eat. 

Mrs. Jackson, as nurse, insisted that George 
should lie down on the sofa after dinner. After 
his long journey he must rest, so Mrs. Arlington 
sent Violet to the piano, and while the sweet sum- 
mer twilight faded and the stars came out, she 
sang and played all the old favorites which they 
called for. 

Sunday was a long, quiet, happy day. George 
seemed so much better than they had dared hope 
after his journey, that they all rejoiced. No one 
kept watch over him, so he was free to talk to 
Nelly as much as he wanted to, and now that he 
could stand on his feet and do it properly, he 
asked the question he had been longing to ask for 


GEORGE GETS HIS REWARD 


355 

SO long and got his answer. Every one knew 
how it was and left them to themselves. 

“ I have always loved Nelly,” said Mrs. Arling- 
ton to Nelly’s mother, “and nothing could give 
me more pleasure than to see her George’s wife. 
He could not have a better or sweeter one.” 

“You must marry my mother too, George,” 
said Nelly, soberly. “ I am all she has and I can- 
not leave her.” 

‘‘ Do you think I would ask you to ? ” asked 
George reproachfully. “Why, Mother Jackson is 
as much my mother as yours. If it had not been 
for her I do n’t know as I would ever have 
become worthy of you, Nelly.” 

“ Let us go now and tell her,” said Nelly 
eagerly. 

Mrs. Jackson looked up with her own smile as 
they approached, for she was determined they 
should not know what it cost her to give Nelly 
up. 

“ Mother Jackson,” said George frankly, “ I 
want Nelly to be my wife. Can I have her? ” 

“ My dear boy,” said Mrs. Jackson, unable to 
quite control her voice, which would tremble a 
little in spite of her, “ I gave her up to you long 
ago as soon as I knew you wanted her.” 


356 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

“ But I am not satisfied/’ said George. “ I 
want you too. You are always associated to- 
gether in my mind. I want Nelly for my wife, 
and you for my mother.” 

He is not satisfied with me, mamma,” said 
Nelly, clasping her mother round the neck. “ He 
wants you too.” 

Mrs. Jackson rather prided herself on her self- 
control. She could endure a great deal and 
make no sign, but now her emotions were too 
much for her, and she could not keep back the 
tears. 

“Why, mamma!” cried Nelly, clasping her 
tighter. “ Did you think I would leave you ? ” 

“ Did you think I would ask her to?” asked 
George reproachfully. “ Did n’t you have a 
better opinion of your boy than that. Mother 
Jackson ? ” 

“ Listen, mamma,” said Nelly, bending over 
her mother with flushed cheeks and shining eyes. 
“ George is going to build a house in Dedham 
and we are to live there together, and there is so 
much for us to do, so much work waiting for us, 
we must have you to advise and help us.” 

“Forgive me,” said Mrs. Jackson, smiling 
through her tears. “ It was very foolish of me 


GEORGE GETS HIS REWARD 


357 


to cry. I do n’t know how I came to. There is 
no one I would so willingly resign Nelly to as 
you, George, but you know she is all I have.” 

“ I shall not take her away,” replied George, 
‘‘ and you will have me besides ; a son as well as 
a daughter.” 

“ If I may be allowed to mention such a com- 
monplace thing I will announce that dinner is 
ready,” said Violet, putting her head in at the 
door, then vanishing to the dining-room, whither 
the others followed her. 


George gained strength rapidly, and almost 
lived out-of-doors. When he was not walking or 
riding he lay in the hammock and Nelly read to 
him, or, more often, talked over their future 
plans. 

The first ride they took was down to the quarry. 
Eight years ago neither of the young Arlingtons 
took an interest in their father’s business, and, 
but for Mr. Arlington himself, Nelly would not 
have seen the granite works, but now George 
went down there every day, and he and his father 
had long business discussions to which Nelly was 
an interested listener. 

When George brought his bride to Dedham 


358 THE YOUNG CAPITALIST 

the two were warmly received, for George was 
still a hero there, and Nelly had always been a 
favorite. 

Nelly and her mother became active in all 
kinds of good works, and, though they occupied 
the position of the first ladies in town, they did 
not forget the friends they had made the first 
year they were there. Miss Stone often spent a 
day at the big house, and was glad to retain 
their friendship, though a great deal of their dress- 
making went to Nina Edwards. As for Nina she 
blessed the day Nelly came to Dedham, for after 
her marriage Nelly found ways and means to be 
the friend to the Edwards family she had longed 
to be when she first saw the pale dressmaker 
bending over her work. 

George did not get richer out of his mills, but 
the men employed in them were prosperous, 
happy and respectable, and all were personally 
acquainted with the owner. Any one in distress 
was always sent to the Arlington mansion, one of 
the largest, handsomest residences in Dedham, 
and none deserving who went there for help, 
was ever turned away. 





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